


Higher Education

by Xenobia



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Sex, Bondage and Discipline, Humor, M/M, Mention of het and yuri, Multi, Oral Sex, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Polyamory, Sexual Humor, Teacher-Student Relationship, Threesome, Yaoi, side pairings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-24
Updated: 2019-03-23
Packaged: 2019-05-13 07:58:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 82,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14744960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xenobia/pseuds/Xenobia
Summary: Summary: When Eren enrolled in college with Armin and Mikasa, his expectation was to spend most of his time studying and perhaps attending the occasional frat party. Little did he know he'd be meeting an alumnus and an instructor that would change his whole outlook on campus life. Modern setting AU, Eren/Levi/Erwin with some side pairings.





	1. Chapter 1: The Freshmen

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing and make no profit from this.
> 
> Author's Note: This story has been floating around in my AOT folder for months, and I've started getting back into writing it while trying to work out the direction a current WIP is going to go. Updates on this story probably won't come as fast or often as they have with "Calibration". Nonetheless, I thought it wouldn't hurt to start sharing what I've written so far. Keep it in mind that this is a Eren/Levi/Erwin work with side pairings (though only the threesome will have detailed sex scenes).

Eren stared through the shaded barrier of his sunglasses at the orientation form he held in his hand. He looked up from it at the senior classmen volunteers directing new arrivals on the campus, trying to figure out which line he was supposed to be in. On either side of him were his closest friends, Armin and Mikasa. Armin could have chosen a better college with his credentials and grants. In fact, he could have had his pick of any prestigious universities he wanted, even overseas. He had instead opted to go to the state university with his friends, in the interest of keeping them all together.

"So if I've got an orange folder," Eren began, scrunching his nose a little.

"It's pink," corrected Mikasa. She shook her long, straight black locks out of her face, reviewing her own instruction sheet. Her folder was dark blue.

"Orange," insisted Eren stubbornly.

"Hey Eren, don't worry about the color so much." Armin smiled at him, shaking his pale blond head. "Pink was originally a masculine color anyhow, and blue was feminine. They changed it sometime back in the 19th century and reversed it. What difference does it make anyway? It's just a color. My folder is pink too."

"Well, we aren't in the 19th century," muttered the taller young man, "and pink is for girls."

Mikasa gave him a frowning look of disapproval. "I suppose you're going to fall back on the old 'weaker gender' argument now?"

"N-no," he hastily revised, well-aware that Mikasa could flip a grown man on his back faster than he could blink, should he give her enough incentive to. "I just mean...you know. Guys that wear pink get picked on these days."

"Good thing you aren't wearing it, then."

"Okay Freshmen, listen up," called out a tall woman in an orange shirt labeled _"Staff Member"_ from the bench she was standing on. Her hair was reddish-brown and pulled into a high, messy ponytail. She wore a pair of oval-shaped glasses and she had a stack of folders in her left hand. She held a yellow one up first. "If your folder is yellow, you belong over there to the far left of me. See the tall guy waving the yellow folder? That's your guide, Bertolt Hoover. You'll be touring the Lemon House, which you'll be calling home from now until you either drop out or graduate. Please form a line in front of him."

People shuffled about, and a tall guy with a spiky, light brown undercut nudged Mikasa as he went to join the others in his color group. He turned to mumble an apology to her, and he blinked narrow eyes at the sight of her, going still.

"Rude much?" Eren snapped. "Watch where you're going."

The guy seemed to shake himself out of it, and his long-ish face settled into an unfriendly expression when he looked at Eren. "It was an accident, spaz. Chill." His scowl softened as he addressed Mikasa. "Sorry about that. I'm confused as hell right now or I might have been more careful."

"It's okay," she assured him, dark eyes calm in her pale, sedate face. We're all confused here."

"You could have fooled me." The guy smirked at her. "You're as cool as a cucumber."

"Hey Jean, wait for me!"

Another young man around the same height came up. He had a friendly kind of face and a much warmer air about him than his sullen companion. His hair was a slightly darker brown in color than Eren's, collar-length, feathered slightly and parted in the middle. He had an open, curious expression on his freckled face, and it was easy to see that he looked up to the guy he was following.

"Careful, Marco," said the guy named Jean with a glance Eren's way. "This one's a hot-head. If you nudge his girlfriend by accident he'll flip out on you."

"She's not my girlfriend," snarled Eren, "and just because I called you out on being careless doesn't mean I'm a spaz, you asshole."

"Eren, please," whispered Armin, blue eyes widening with alarm. "We _just got here_. Don't blow your top, okay? We don't need any trouble our first day on campus!"

"Better listen to your friend," suggested Jean with a snide smirk. "You don't want to bite off more than you can chew, fella."

Eren's right eye twitched, and his grip on his folder tightened until the fiber paper started to crinkle. Mikasa quickly stepped between him and his apparent new rival, stalling further confrontation. "You two should get with your group. We all need to pay attention, if we don't want to get hopelessly lost on this campus."

"Right. Come on, Marco. Oh yeah, and my name is Jean, if you haven't already figured it out."

"I'm Mikasa," offered the young woman. "This is Armin, and you've already met Eren."

"Marco Bolt," introduced the freckle-faced guy. "Nice to meet you, guys. Good luck!"

"Likewise," called Armin with a smile as Marco and Jean got into their line.

"Maybe we'll see you all around," said Jean over his shoulder. His gaze lingered on Mikasa with obvious interest. "Luck willing, that is."

"Great," Eren grumbled under his breath. "Another panting mule to fend off."

"You just let me worry about that," chided Mikasa in a whisper. "I don't need someone else to defend my virtue, Eren. I'm a big girl."

"Green folders, over there with that burly mountain next to Hoover," instructed the ponytailed professor overseeing the orientation. "Say hi to your guide to...uh..." she paused, checked her notes and adjusted her glasses. "House Wrecking Ball?"

The muscular student she'd indicated nodded his short-cropped, white-blond head. He had a chiseled face and a serious, intimidating look about him.

The professor shrugged. "Okay then. Greenies, this is Reiner Braun. Yes, the irony of his last name is a real thing, as you can see. He'll be your brawny guide. Better listen to him; he takes his volunteer work seriously!"

Those with green folders piled up in a line in front of Reiner, hurrying a bit more than the group before them.

"All right, next we have the blue folders," the professor informed. "Everyone with a blue folder, line up in front of...wait, where is he?" She twisted around on her perch, looking this way and that. "Where's the blue tour guide?"

"Right down here next to you, four-eyes," said a low, resonant male voice. "Just where you told me to stand. Shit."

"Oh!" the professor grinned down at someone to her immediate right. "There you are, Levi. You're so short, I couldn't even see you."

"Very funny," came the chill response.

Eren raised up on his tip-toes, trying to see over the shoulders and heads of the other students in front of him to catch a glimpse of the owner of that dour voice. He couldn't make out more than the top of a head of black hair, possessing a sheen like a raven's wing and parted a bit to the left.

"Okay blue team, you'll line up in front of our esteemed alumnus, Levi Ackerman. He graduated with honors last year, miracle of miracles."

"Levi?" repeated Mikasa with a sudden frown.

"What's wrong?" Armin questioned.

Mikasa pushed forward, threading her way through the crowd without answering. Eren and Armin followed, each of them wondering what had gotten into her. When the way was clear enough, Eren finally got to see what this "Levi" person looked like. His jaw dropped.

"Holy shit," he breathed, unaware of what he was even saying.

The "esteemed alumnus" was fucking gorgeous. Small of build and short, yes, but perfectly proportioned to his size, with skin as pale and smooth as Mikasa's and handsome, youthful features. Small, cute nose, pouty, sensitive looking lips, shapely but narrow jaw and a slight point to the chin. His hair was jet black like Mikasa's, fashioned in an undercut and parted slightly to the left. It was his eyes that caught Eren's attention the most, though. Dark-lashed, mysterious and heavy-lidded, they were a pale gray color and while Levi appeared bored with his surroundings, there was an alertness in his gaze, a sharpness that cut through the lazy cast of them.

Eren kept staring at him. Levi was wearing a dark blue crew shirt with white lettering across it, labeling him as a volunteer staff member. He wore a pair of gray slacks and black shoes with the outfit. The style of the shirt was snug enough to display the tight musculature of his frame. His biceps were toned, his arms folded over his chest. He wore a silver chain around his neck, and on that chain dangled a small pendant with a Greek letter on it; probably the symbol of his fraternity house. Other than that, Levi wore no other jewelry.

As Eren stared at him, his face flooded with heat. He could see the outline of Levi Ackerman's nipples. They were pushing against the cotton fabric of his shirt as though in an air-conditioned room. It was warm out though, so those cute little nubs poking out couldn't be excused by any chill in the air. If he looked hard enough, Eren thought he could also see the outline of the guy's belly-button...

"That's my cousin," whispered Mikasa, breaking through Eren's stunned enchantment.

He whipped his head to look at her. "Huh? That guy's your _cousin_?"

She nodded. "Distant cousin, but yes. He's the one I told you about that graduated last year. I didn't expect him to be here, though. I haven't seen him in five years."

"Oh. Right."

She hadn't mentioned his name when she spoke of him in passing. If Eren had any idea her cousin looked like _that_ , he certainly would have asked more questions about him. Like if he was single. Like if he was into girls or guys. Like if Mikasa would be willing to set them up on a date or give him Levi's phone number.

Levi fixed his eyes on Eren's at that moment, riveting him to the spot. The Freshman couldn't look away, couldn't even blink. That stare was so concentrated, so focused. For a second, Eren felt like he'd just been pierced all the way through by an invisible needle. The alumnus' sleepy lids lifted a bit, allowing more of the afternoon sunlight to filter through the fringe of his sooty lashes. The pupils contracted in reaction, and the silvery-gray of the irises crystallized to an even lighter hue. They became hooded and shadowed again immediately. The contact was broken when Levi slowly blinked and looked away.

"All right, you heard her," said the hot little staff volunteer. "All of you carrying blue folders, line up in front of me."

"I don't see this year's title for their house on here," puzzled the professor, flipping through her papers. "Did you pick one like you were asked to, Levi?"

"Yeah. Blue Balls."

The woman choked a bit, coughed into her hand and blinked a couple of times. "B-blue Balls? House Blue Balls, seriously?"

Levi's stare slid sideways toward her. He shrugged. "Sure. You said to pick something witty that reminded me of the color. That's what I came up with."

"But don't you think that's a little...er..." She looked like she was on the verge of outright laughter.

"A little what? So 'Lemon House' and 'House Wrecking Ball' are okay, but not 'Blue Balls'? Trust me Professor Zoë, most of these guys are operating under the delusion that they'll be swimming in pussy all year long, but most of 'em are going to live up to the name I've chosen for their dorm. It's appropriate."

Some of the guys lining up in his group muttered, and a few of them shook their heads.

"You think I'm bullshitting?" Levi challenged them, a slight line appearing between his brows. "Go ahead and kid yourselves. Doesn't matter to me. The point is, you've all chosen a curriculum lineup that places you in with my house. Essentially, what that means is that you can expect strict rules concerning the upkeep and cleanliness of your dorm. You can stay out all night at frat parties until you pass out in your own vomit, but you _will_ keep a clean environment. The punishment for failing to do so will fit the crime. I wouldn't recommend you test me."

"What is this, boot camp?" grumbled one of the jocks in the group.

"No, it's called 'life prepping', kiddo. Your mommy's not going to come up behind you and clean up your messes. You'll have to learn to dispose of your own trash, wash your own laundry, clean up your own messes and wipe your own asses. The minute you step out of line, you won't like the consequences. Just ask Professor Zoë, if you need confirmation."

"He isn't kidding," stated the professor, curling a finger against her grinning lips. "The pipsqueak even had _me_ cleaning up after myself, the last time I visited his house with some pizza I'd ordered for the wrestling team after their win."

Nobody had more to say about it, and the professor cleared her throat and flipped another page. "All right, with that out of the way, let's move on to those holding the purple folders. All of you please group up before this cute little ginger here, standing next to Levi. This is Petra Ral, a senior on campus with high marks. She'll be showing you around your home, Blossom House. I think you'll find her to be a kind and helpful dorm guardian. You're the luckiest of all the groups."

The co-ed named Petra smiled in greeting to her group as they converged before her. She was probably the only person around that was shorter than Levi. She was a cute girl with strawberry blonde hair that fell to her shoulders in a semi-layered cut that framed her delicate face. Her eyes were an amber hazel shade, and they were warm and friendly as she looked over her charges and memorized their features.

"Welcome to Blossom House, everyone." She glanced askew at Levi when she noticed some of her new dorm mates hesitating to get too close to him, and she smirked. "Don't let Mr. Ackerman scare you; he has a scary glare, but he doesn't bite unless you give him good reason."

"Enough, Petra," he admonished.

She fell silent, biting her lips but still carrying a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

"All right, that just leaves the pinkies," Professor Zoë announced, "and that means you lucky people get to come with me! That's right; this year I'm the den mother of your dormitory, and I'll be seeing some of you in entry-level biology, some in genetics and some in biochemistry. Most of you have also elected to take psychology, botany and/or paleobotany courses, which is why you were categorized to this group. This is going to be a very exciting year."

She hopped down from the bench, and she paced back and forth in front of her group as Eren, Armin and the remaining students with the pink folders gathered before her. "If you don't already know, I'm Professor Hange Zoë. I don't run quite as tight a ship as our grumpy little friend Levi, nor am I as sweet and adorable as Miss Ral. If you want to create your own bacterial cultures leaving food containers all over your dorm rooms, be my guest. It might even prove helpful to your studies. Oh, and bonus: if you make yourselves sick with exposure to mold and contaminated food, I'll even let you treat yourselves for it! It'll save the university hospital staff time and money, as well as give those of you interested bioscience as a major some personal medical experience."

Eren wasn't the only one in their group that was grimacing with distaste. He leaned closer to Armin, muttering to him from the corner of his mouth. "I can't believe I let you talk me into taking biochemistry."

"Hey, you still haven't decided on a major," whispered Armin back. "It might be good to broaden your horizons a bit, and the extra credits won't hurt when you _do_ come to a decision."

Eren shrugged. He probably would have ended up with a blue folder instead of a pink, if he hadn't taken so much of Armin's advice on alternate classes to take. He might have ended up in Levi's house with Mikasa. He'd dropped Aeronautical Engineering in favor of psychology, and exchanged Economics for entry-level biology.

That was what sealed his doom, because the university was housing students according to what courses and majors they chose. Since Eren hadn't yet dialed in a major, his credits were all over the place and they'd simply fitted him in where it seemed he had the most in common class-wise with other students. He'd let Armin talk him into one too many science-based programs.

It was a weird system, but as he understood it, the aim was to make it easier for students cohabitating the same dorm to form up study groups to help each other out. Majors played only a small role in that, as most of them just starting out were mixing and matching some classes falling under their major field of study with extras for additional credit and some variation. Others went for the gold and stuck primarily with the courses tailored to their diploma goals, so as to finish college and get their degrees sooner. Armin was one of those, but he did take one or two detours to keep from getting too bogged down with monotony.

The three of them had agreed to each take one mutual class every semester so that they would have at least one course to attend and study together throughout the enrollment year. Armin had drawn the highest card when they used the draw method to decide who picked first, and this year it would be Ancestral Studies under the Archeology field.

Eren felt robbed. About half of the courses he was taking this semester were of Armin's choosing rather than his own. It was his own fault though, and truthfully he thought it was better that Armin had one of his friends rooming with him rather than a stranger. Maybe next semester when they were all familiar with the place and had made other connections, he'd feel better about Armin's ability to take care of himself. At least he still had a spot on the University wrestling team.

It was still a damned shame he wouldn't be staying in Levi's dorm, though.

"Okay everyone, time to split up and tour the campus," Hange announced. "Stick with your guides. They'll show you around your houses and familiarize you with the location and layout of the buildings you'll be attending your classes in. Pinkies, come with me."

"Uh, ma'am?" One of the male students in Eren and Armin's group raised a hand. "What's our house name? You never said."

"Oh! We're Team Hange." The professor grinned, ignoring the way Levi rolled his eyes. "Let's get chugging, folks. The day isn't getting any younger and dinnertime isn't far away."

Eren lagged behind as the others started to follow Hange. He was distracted by the sight of Levi's backside when the alumnus turned around to start guiding his group. Funny, if Levi had even noticed Mikasa in the crowd, he hadn't said anything to her yet. Maybe he was saving it for after the tour.

"Oi, you heard her, 'pinkie'," Levi said, shooting a look at Eren that was unreadable. "Follow the leader like a good little sheep."

Eren's face burned as students around him chuckled at his expense. He hoped the man hadn't caught him staring at his ass. He hastened to catch up with his group, pretending great interest in his orientation papers to excuse his lapse.

* * *

It wasn't the nightmare Eren had expected when they arrived at 'Team Hange Headquarters'. After hearing the professor apparently encouraging slovenly housekeeping habits, he'd expected the place to be a dump full of cockroaches and cobwebs. As it turned out, the place was pretty clean and the dorm room he and Armin would be sharing was spacious. They were informed that they could pick up their things from claiming in the student resources hall after the tour, as well as copies of their room keys.

The tour went on to the science and tech building. The campus layout was in concentric circles, so once they learned the grid it wasn't as confusing as anticipated. Unfortunately, Hange's guidance only extended to class locations under within the science and tech building. She did take her group on a bus tour of the entire campus and she pointed out other buildings of interest, but the Freshmen would be on their own as far as locating each class in other facilities.

They all had a bite at a campus burger joint after the tour, with Hange treating. Afterwards, she separated from them, reminded them of where to go on the map to collect their belongings, told them to use the campus bus system to get around if they didn't have their own automobiles and bid them good luck.

"Well, here we are," sighed Armin after stepping outside the restaurant with his taller companion. He opened his folder and located the map of the grounds, getting his bearings. "Our first priority should be the Student Resources building to get our things. Then we can get settled in at our dorm room, maybe mingle a little bit and figure out what text books we'll need to pick up tomorrow. Good thing we have a couple of day's grace period to get our affairs in order before classes start."

"Yeah." Eren frowned at his own map, and he pulled out his cell phone to use the compass application. "Okay, so Student Resources are Northeast of our location. We need to take Magpie Lane and walk a block, then take a right on Campus Boulevard."

"At least all of the faculty buildings are in the center of the campus, close to each other and most service venues," Armin remarked. "That should make it easier for us to have a general idea of where we need to go when we need groceries or council guidance."

They crossed the street to follow the course Eren had set, chatting about their class schedules and plans for the semester. Eren brought up Levi Ackerman on the way.

"I can't believe Mikasa didn't tell us more about her cousin. I didn't expect him to be on campus."

"Neither did she," Armin reminded. "She has been a bit vague about him, though. I'm assuming they mustn't be very close. They didn't even acknowledge each other beyond Mikasa expressing some surprise at seeing him."

"He's...different." Eren thought of the way those pale eyes had scorched him like ice and fire combined. "Intense, but in a quiet sort of way. I don't know how to describe it."

Armin looked up at him, a tiny curve forming at one corner of his mouth. "You like him."

Eren averted his gaze with a shrug. "I don't know him. Sure, I noticed him. It's hard not to. He's cute and kind of rebellious and...ahem. Never mind."

"I'm guessing that next word in your verbiage was going to be 'sexy', or something of the like."

Eren sighed. "Yeah. Don't judge me. It's been a while since I had lust at first sight, and I don't know the first thing about him. He's probably straight and judging by what I've seen of his personality, he'd snap my neck if I ever tried to approach him."

Armin shrugged. "Maybe. You could try asking Mikasa to shed a bit of light on the mystery, if you're really interested. You could at least find out if he's dating someone or not."

"I don't know. Mikasa doesn't like to get involved in my personal relationship shenanigans anymore. After that disaster with Jeffrey the last time she set me up, I doubt if she'd help me out much with her own cousin."

"She might," suggested Armin. "Given their aloofness with each other, I don't think it would feel too awkward for her to help you out. It depends on how badly you want to get to know him. You _did_ just meet him, and it wasn't even a formal introduction. I'd suggest you give it a few days and see how you feel then. You're in a new place, starting an exciting chapter in your life. It could be that the energy of a change of scenery and open possibilities is effecting your feelings, making you more adventurous."

Eren almost tripped over the curb as they crossed the street to the Student Resources building. Maybe Armin had a point. The scholarly blond knew him well, and he was familiar with Eren's impulses. It wouldn't be the first time Eren had gotten excited after meeting someone knew and attractive, but unbeknownst to Armin, this was the strongest first-sight attraction Eren had ever experienced.

* * *

Eren didn't run into Levi again until the first day of his classes began. He made it to his first two classes okay, because they were both in the same building. It was on his way to his third class of the day that he got turned around and confused. There seemed to be an error on his schedule sheet, because it said that the Fine Arts classroom was in the Business and Economy building. He puzzled over that, and he found the Arts, Crafts and Theater building on the map and started trying to navigate his way there, backpack slung over his shoulder.

Neither of his friends were around to help him figure out where to go. He was pretty good about finding his sense of direction in strange places—when Eren was in the woods. For some reason, civilization messed him up. The more crowded and modernized it got, the less reliable his internal compass was.

Eren thought he was on the right track until he approached a building and realized it wasn't the one he thought. He cursed beneath his breath, and he pulled out his map again to look at it. He'd somehow gotten turned around. It should have been easier to navigate due to the layout of the campus, but in truth it seemed more confusing to him.

Embarrassed, the young man dug out his phone and tried using his the navigational feature to find his way. That was no good; the stupid application didn't know the campus yet because it had recently been remodeled.

"Shit."

A voice spoke up from behind him. "Lose your way, kid?"

Eren whirled around so fast that he nearly tripped over his own shoelaces. Standing there calmly was Levi Ackerman. He watched Eren with a slight, thoughtful tilt to his head. His gray eyes were as opaque as stone...no telling what he was thinking. Today, Levi was wearing a thin, loose black sweater and a pair of track pants. Oddly, he had on a pair of sporty loafers with the outfit, rather than boots or sneakers.

Eren didn't comment about the choice of footwear. Levi was hot enough to wear a trash bag and make it look good, anyway. "Uh, yeah. I got a little turned around. I'm supposed to be at the Arts building, but I ended up at Business and Economy."

"You're not too far off." Levi nodded to a distant building further away and more to the left. "That's the one you need. I'm heading there myself, so you can walk with me."

Relieved though still a little embarrassed, the freshman put his phone away and picked his backpack up again to sling it back over his shoulder. "Thanks. I guess I didn't have things worked out as well as I thought."

"It happens." Levi shrugged and started walking. As Eren caught up with him, he spoke again. "The deceptively simple layout of this campus gives people a false sense of security, but in reality the circular grid causes more confusion than you'd think. Takes a while to get used to it, but once you can look around and recognize which 'district' your in and you know what direction to head in order to travel towards the center, it gets easier."

"You had trouble navigating the campus too when you studied here?" asked Eren. He tried not to stare at his companion, tried to keep his glances casual. It was difficult, though. Levi's profile was so attractive that Eren kept having to force his eyes away to watch his own footing.

"A little at first," admitted the older male, "though I caught on faster than most. It came more naturally for me to find my way around here than it did at the first college I started at. Transferred my credits and started here midway through my freshman year 'cause it's got a better system for the same costs. Better job placement help for graduates, too."

Eren nodded. That was why Armin pushed them to go to state instead of one of the smaller, more specialized colleges in the territory. "Thanks for helping me out, Mr. Ackerman."

"Call me Levi," advised the alumnus. "I'm not a teacher and I'm not much older than you."

"Right." Eren fell silent, unsure of what else to say. He wanted to ask Levi more questions, get to know him a little. The man didn't seem very receptive to giving away much about himself though, and Eren didn't want to screw up the semi-amicable mood by being too intrusive.

"What's your major?" asked Levi as they stepped off a curb to cross a street.

"I uh, haven't exactly figured that out yet."

Levi nodded, expressing no surprise. "You'll get it eventually. Some people build up their credits, take a break to work for a while and then come back after getting a little more life experience under their belt. Sometimes it's easier to decide what you want to aim for after you've tested the waters in a few different fields. There's no rule that says you have to have your career plotted out and get your diploma as soon as possible. College doesn't teach world experiences; it just gives you the skills and credits to satisfy employers that want a piece of paper before they'll hire you. Most places are going to train you anyway because they all have a certain way they want things done. If you ask me, the whole system is bullshit. Just a way for society to keep people working their asses off and in debt their whole life."

Eren grimaced. He thought much the same himself, but he only voiced that opinion to his closest friends, lest he be thought of as some kind of lazy slacker that wanted an easy ride.

"What class are you taking in the Art category?" Levi asked him after a moment.

They stopped at a crosswalk, waiting for the light to change. Traffic was moderate; a lot of students on campus had their own cars, and nice ones, at that. Probably because their parents were paying their way through. Eren could have brought his own car, and maybe he should have so that him and his friends didn't have to rely on the public transit system. He felt like it would have been showing off to his friends, however. Armin's family didn't have money and it was only because of the blond's scholarships that he was able to attend higher learning at all. Mikasa's family had saved enough to send her to college, but her car broke down after graduation and they hadn't been able to have it fixed yet.

"Hello. I asked you a question."

Eren flushed. "Oh, sorry. I'm taking Fine Arts. I'm starting out with sketching and if I do okay at it, I might take painting next semester."

"But you ended up in Professor Zoë's dorm," mused Levi, "so you must have taken more science and medical courses than anything else."

"Yeah, I took Psych I and entry level Biology on a friend's advice when I had trouble deciding on credit fillers. Like I said, I'm not sure what I want to do yet, so I'm starting out with a little bit of everything to see what jumps out at me."

"Fine Arts, huh?" Levi glanced at him, and they started crossing to the building that was their destination. "Sounds like you're getting a pretty well-rounded education so far. Are you an artsy type, Jaeger?"

Startled that the man knew his surname when they hadn't yet been formally introduced, it took Eren a moment to answer. "Not really. I was just looking for things to try until I figure out what I want to do, and I needed another elective. I almost took photography instead, but I want to see how I go with drawing and painting first."

Levi nodded. "At least you aren't afraid to try new things."

There was a thoughtful, calculating tone to his words that gave Eren pause, but they had made it to their destination and he didn't have time to postulate what the meaning behind that tone was.

"Your classroom is down the first hallway to the right," explained Levi. "Fourth door on the left. You'll have Professor Smith as your instructor. Best listen to what he says and respect the man, Jaeger. The only staff member in this university that ranks higher than him is the Dean himself."

"Got it," responded Eren automatically. Seeing that Levi was just standing there staring at him expectantly, the young academic cleared his throat. "Well, thanks for helping me find my way. See ya!"

Eren retreated quickly, heart pounding in the wake of that cool, mysterious gaze.

* * *

He made it into class just as the professor was doing role call. All eyes turned to Eren as he walked into the classroom, and he stopped in self-conscious confusion. It was a full class. There were easels lined up in the room, and only one of them wasn't occupied. Unfortunately, it was right beside that Jean guy that Eren had immediately clashed with on the day of Freshman orientation. He gave Eren a nasty smirk, his narrow eyes daring him.

"Are you in the right place?"

Eren looked at the speaker belonging to that deep voice, and he gave a little start. Watching him at the head of the class was a tall man, broad of shoulders and immaculately dressed in professional attire composed of cream colored slacks, a matching blazer and a white button-up shirt. He was a classically handsome individual with a square jaw, a slight dimple in his chin, a wide mouth and an aristocratic nose. He had thick, tapered golden brows over a pair of the most intense, mesmerizing blue eyes Eren had ever seen. They were almost the same color as Armin's and just as sharp and intelligent, but they had a wisdom to them. Framing those bright eyes was a pair of round glasses. His hair was golden blond, styled in an undercut and groomed so pristinely to a side-part that not so much as a single hair was out of place.

"What class are you looking for?" asked the blond man.

"Th-this one," stammered Eren, shaking himself out of his daze. Goddamn, how many hot men did this campus _have_ on staff, anyhow? He could only assume this was the Professor Smith that Levi had told him about. "Sorry I'm late. I got a little turned around and someone had to show me the way here."

The blond man smiled at him in a charming way. "Then please take the remaining spot. Welcome to my classroom."

Eren only relaxed a little bit. He was shaken once more by a powerful attraction to someone he'd just met, and he wondered if he'd finally reached that rumored stage in a young man's life where the hormones went completely wild. He had no choice but to take his place beside Jean Kirstein, and he scowled at the other student when the guy made a kissy-face at him to egg him on.

"Shut up," muttered Eren out the corner of his mouth. His face was burning and though he knew it wasn't possible, he got the distinct feeling that Jean had somehow read his mind and knew he was gay as a rainbow and having inappropriate thoughts about their instructor.

"All right, let's go down the list and make sure everyone is in the right place," suggested Professor Smith. He proceeded to go through the role call, and once he was satisfied that all enrolled students were present and accounted for, he began the introductions.

"As you may have guessed, I'm Professor Erwin Smith." He began to walk around the classroom, eyeing each student in an assessing manner. "I'm sure some of you took this course as a means for easy credit, but let me assure you that you won't be able to simply skate in my class. I want to see initiative, creativity and real effort from you all. I'm not expecting museum quality work from all of you; some people have a natural artistic gift, while others have to be taught. You may find hidden reservoirs of creativity within yourselves that you didn't even know you had, or you may discover you haven't an artistic bone in your body and drop this class mid-semester for another prospect. Either way, you're going to work for the credit you earn here."

He paused when he made it to Jean, studying him with interest. "Those of you with a natural gift will probably go on to make the arts your major, if you haven't already decided on that. I would be happy to see some of you succeed in life as artists, but keep it in mind that it's a hard road to financial security. That being said, the best artists are those who do it out of passion, and not for the financial rewards."

He also stopped at Eren, and the young man peeked up at Erwin in a sudden attack of shyness. His eyes met the professor's, and he couldn't look away from their intelligent blue depths. One corner of Erwin's mouth curved up the slightest bit...or maybe Eren just imagined it.

"As for the rest of you, other opportunities will come your way, but I'm confident that you'll take something with you from this class that will help you with future endeavors. You'll learn to be more aware of aesthetics, of the balance of color and light. You'll even develop new critical thinking techniques. The art world is a surprising source of knowledge, if you're open to what it can teach you."

Erwin released Eren from his riveting stare, and he walked back up to the head of the class. He adjusted the glasses perched on his nose. "As for myself, I'll part with a rather embarrassing secret: I'm a rather terrible artist."

A cute girl with her black hair worn in twin tails raised her hand, and Erwin nodded at her. "Yes, Miss Carolina?"

"Sir, may I ask why you're teaching this class if you don't think you're a good artist?"

"Ah. A fair question. To answer that, I may not draw the most noteworthy sketches or paint masterpieces, but I have a deep and abiding respect for the arts, and I have a good eye for it. Part of your learning regime in this class will be to study the great artists of history. This isn't simply about painting and drawing. It's also a history class, and this isn't the only room we'll be using during the course of this semester. There will be studying and there will be tests of your book knowledge as well as your skills with the pencil, pen and brush."

Erwin adjusted the blinds to let more light in. "For the three days you have this class this week, we'll be focusing on the basics of figure drawing and shading."

The door opened and another person entered the room, drawing everyone's attention. Eren's mouth went slack when he recognized Levi Ackerman. He was wearing a black robe, and he was barefoot. Erwin's gaze lingered on him briefly, and the professor nodded. Levi nodded back, and he walked to the center of the room, which the easels were arranged around in a semi-circle. At first Eren didn't understand the layout, but now he was starting to get it.

"We'll begin with the human nude," announced Erwin. "Please welcome our volunteer model for this semester. Some of you have already met Mr. Ackerman, I'm sure."

"Um...nude?" squeaked the girl with the pigtails.

"Yes, nude. Levi, please make yourself comfortable so that we can begin."

Levi untied the belt holding his robe closed, and he slipped out of it. He handed the garment over to Erwin, who took it and hung it on the north wall. It was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. Eren felt like his eyes were about to roll out of his head, and he couldn't stop staring at the spectacle of Levi's nude body.

If he'd thought he was hot before, it was a wonder Levi wasn't scorching a hole in the floor now. Levi obviously worked out. He didn't have a six pack; he had an _eight_ pack. He wasn't bulging to an obnoxious point like some of those power body builders Eren saw on fitness magazines and ads, but Levi definitely had the physique of an athlete. The contrast of the alumnus' black hair and white skin was beautiful. _He_ was beautiful. And that ass...Eren was almost tempted to dig in his wallet for a quarter to see if he could bounce one off of it.

Eren noticed something else as Levi turned around to fully face the semi-circle of student artists. Both of the guy's nipples had a single, silver barbell piercing. They were an attractive shade of pink and erect. That might explain why Eren had been able to see them outlined so clearly under Levi's shirt the other day. Eren's gaze traveled down Levi's body, devouring every hard, toned inch of his physique. He had an "outie" belly-button, and that was also pierced with a silver barbell. Levi's torso was smooth and hairless, except for the dark treasure trail that began below his navel and thickened toward his groin.

Eren checked his endowments with a gulp. Levi was decently hung for a guy his size, and he was circumcised. Currently Levi was soft, his member hanging between his thighs, cushioned by the sack beneath. It was pink-tipped and insanely tempting to the eye. Eren wondered if he remained that size when he got hard or if he grew. Either way, Levi had no reason to lack confidence in a public restroom or shower.

"N-nude?" chirped the pigtail girl again.

Eren and a few others looked at her, found her blushing scarlet and staring at Levi's body with a look that was both enthralled and mortified. She covered her mouth on a girlish giggle.

"Are we in high school, Miss Carolina?" Erwin questioned calmly.

She blinked at him, reminding Eren weirdly of some kind of chibi character. "No, Professor."

"That's right. We're all adults here, and this is art. Please conduct yourselves accordingly, all of you. Don't think in pornographic terms. The human body is a beautiful thing, and today you are going to study it and concentrate on the lines, angles and the use of light and shading."

Erwin approached Levi from behind, put his hands on the younger man's shoulder and spoke to him in a low voice. "Please have a seat, Levi."

Eren wiped at his mouth absently, salivating. Sexy professor putting his hands intimately on hot, naked Levi. It was too much, and it spurred on rapid pornographic imagery in his mind despite Erwin's advice not to go down that path. Levi obeyed Erwin without question, sitting down on the stool in the center of the room.

Aside from his nudity, Levi might have been sitting casually, with his hands on his knees and a bored expression on his face. Still, he managed to make it look sensual, and when Erwin bent over to murmur something into the alumnus' ear, it again seemed more intimate to Eren than it probably should have. In fact, Eren couldn't shake the impression that despite their obvious height, personality and age difference, Levi and Erwin looked good together.

"Dude, I can't handle this," mumbled Eren thoughtlessly.

"I know, right?" whispered Jean from his left. "If we're going to draw nudes, it should at least be a chick."

Eren glanced sidelong at the taller male, carefully schooling his features into a neutral expression. "Yeah. Right. A chick."

"All right, class; please flip your sketch book open to the first blank page, pick up the graphite pencils provided to you on your easels and begin."

Some of the students began right away, probably because they'd been studying art for a long time and were already prepared for such an assignment. Jean was amongst them, though he grumbled softly under his breath. Other students such as Eren and the girl the professor had called "Miss Carolina" stood there uncertainly, not knowing where to begin. About four other attendees seemed to be having the same issue.

"I think that it's safe to assume by the blank expressions on some of your faces that you were expecting us to start with fruit or geometrical objects," said Professor Smith. "Most introductory classes to art would start you that way, it's true. However, I know that many of you have been studying art for most of your lives. It would be almost insulting for me to start us off with something so simple, and the purpose of today's exercise is to observe, appreciate and express the beauty of the human form. This won't be the first nude you all will be required to render, let me assure you."

Erwin walked back and forth behind Levi with slow, contemplative steps. He watched the still subject of the assignment, and the sound of pencils etching against paper filled the air. "Look at his form. Observe the way the light falls on his body, the way it highlights his face, his chest, his arms. Just study this for a moment, and then choose a small starting point that you feel comfortable with. The face, the feet, the hands. See the way the light shines on his hair, for example."

Erwin went on to give further suggestions. Eren swallowed again to prevent drooling, and he tried to see Levi as nothing more than a subject of focus, like a vase, or a plant, or a really fucking beautiful statue that he wanted to ask out on a date...

"Have you found your starting point, Mr. Jaeger?"

Eren blinked, realizing he'd been staring right between Levi's parted thighs. He flushed and dragged his eyes up, trying to steer his attention away from the naked male's more intimate parts. The eyes, he decided. He could start with the eyes. They were beautiful in themselves, with a fringe of sooty lashes shadowing irises the color of storm clouds. Levi's gaze met his across the distance, and Eren again experienced that rush...that thrill he'd gotten the first time he locked eyes with the guy.

"Aren't we...supposed to use circles and triangles as a base, or something like that?" Eren questioned uncertainly. Damn, he couldn't look away, and Levi was just staring mutely right back at him.

"That's generally the basic starting point for proportioning a human subject," agreed Erwin, "but we aren't going for technical details today, Eren. It can be as abstract or as detailed as you like, just so you express yourself while studying our subject."

Eren bit his lip, and he shot a quick look at Jean, half-expecting him to be smirking mockingly at him as if he could read his thoughts. The guy was engrossed in sketching Levi, though. Eren was envious of his ability to focus, but then again, it was pretty obvious Jean was straight. Eren bet that if it was a nude young woman sitting there in front of us, Jean would be the one stammering and uncomfortable.

Taking a deep breath, Eren did his best to detach himself from the situation and get this hour over with before he disgraced himself by getting a boner. He cursed under his breath, because just thinking about that awful possibility only made it seem more likely to happen. His jeans started feeling too tight, and he knew he had precious little time before he went full-mast and people started to notice.

"Excuse me professor, I've gotta pee," blurted Eren. "Can I go to the bathroom please?"

Erwin paused in the act of checking one student's progress so far, and his sapphire gaze settled on Eren. His expression hardly changed, but the outer corners of his eyelids crinkled slightly with what might have been amusement.

"I don't know, Eren. Can you?"

He didn't get it right away. He wouldn't have asked permission if he didn't think he needed it. He then recalled his own father pulling the same gag on him more than once before, and he checked a sigh. "I mean may I be excused, sir?"

Erwin nodded. "Yes, you may. Try not to fall behind though, Eren."

The young man quickly made his exit, before his pants could start tenting in an obvious way. He heard a couple of whispers follow him out, and his face burned. Once in the hallway, he was faced with another dilemma: he had no idea which way to go for the bathrooms. He looked both ways down the hall, and upon seeing no signs indicating where they were, he tried going back the way he came in. Fortunately when he reached the corridor intersection, he found what he was looking for. Eren wasted no time in hurrying to the men's room to relieve his condition.

* * *

-To be continued


	2. Chapter 2: Polyamorous

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, lovely readers! I present to you chapter 2 this evening. I hope you enjoy it. It's a bit sour (as in lemony). More insight into Levi and Erwin's unique relationship!

After class was dismissed and everyone including Levi dispersed, Erwin had a closer look at the students' work, left behind as required on the big sketch books stationed at each easel. Some of them were quite good. Others, he could tell, were purely mechanical with no feeling or instinct behind them. It was easy these days for him to figure out which students came to learn and/or improve their artistic skills and which ones were just looking for easy credits. He paused at Jean Kirstein's easel, and he admired the line work and shading. Jean had a natural gift, and though Erwin had heard his complaints about drawing a nude male figure, the young man had put his skill and concentration to good use.

Jean had nearly finished drawing Levi's face, and the likeness was impressive. It wasn't finished, though. None of them were, and that was to be expected out of only one hour of time to complete it. Erwin checked out Eren's progress next, and he gazed thoughtfully at it, his mind picking out things that many people might have overlooked. Rather than using clean lines, Eren used a scratchy method common for some sketch artists. There was nothing wrong with that; it could be cleaned up later when the piece was closer to completion. While Eren's body proportions were off, he had the eyes nailed. In fact, Levi's eyes were the clearest, most complete part of the drawing, and Erwin could see how much dedication Jaeger had put into sketching them.

"So, you like Levi's eyes, do you?" murmured the professor. He smiled. He liked them as well. It was good to know someone else took notice of their mystery, their quiet intensity. Levi could seduce with a glance from those bedroom eyes, or he could leave a person cowering for fear of their lives with a glare from them. It all depended on his mood. Erwin could see that if nothing else, Jaeger had captured the essence of Levi's stare in this piece.

Of course given how often Levi had settled his gaze on Eren during the session, it was really no wonder that his eyes were the primary focus of Eren's drawing project. He wasn't imagining it; Erwin had felt the chemistry between them, and he knew what that could mean.

He would have Levi come in again tomorrow to model so that everyone could have the chance to finish. After that, he would assign his class to meet up in a different room three doors down, give them a bit of a break with a film about art through the ages and spring a pop quiz on them afterwards for extra credit. This class was only three days per week; two in a row on Mondays and Tuesdays, and then the third on Thursdays. He'd wanted to spread it out more, but scheduling had been a bit dodgy this year.

Erwin went to his desk to plot out the rest of the week's lesson plan, and then he locked away his paperwork in the drawer and went outside to have a break before it was time to get ready for his other class. He left the art building and went to the quad in between all of the academic structures. He found Levi standing between the business and journalism buildings, just out of sight enough to get away with having a few puffs of a cigarette. The alumnus was dressed again in his track pants and sweater, and he glanced up as Erwin approached.

"You know this is a smoke-free campus area," chided Erwin. "That being said..."

He reached into his blazer pocket to procure a wrapped mini cigar, and he joined the younger man to light up.

"Hypocrite," muttered Levi around his forbidden treat, smirking. "You'll get in more trouble than me if someone catches you smoking that out here."

"I know how to be discreet." Erwin took a puff, and he hid the cigar behind his back. "What did you think of class today?"

Levi shrugged. "Not much different than the last time I modeled for you."

Erwin nodded, accepting the answer despite his own observations. "You seemed more at ease with it today. Would you be willing to do the same thing again? The progress my students made today showed promise, but it would be easier for them to complete the sketch if you were there to model again."

"Are you going to make this a regular thing?" Levi demanded after exhaling some smoke. "I'm starting to suspect you get off on displaying me naked in front of people."

Erwin smirked, looking away at a pigeon that had landed nearby on the sidewalk to scavenge for food crumbs. "Maybe I do. I can't exactly show you off the way other men in my age group do with their lovers."

"Good point, although the same rules don't apply anymore where we're concerned." Levi shrugged, and he had another drag. "I'm not your student anymore, and it isn't like they'd can you for being into guys. Two of the other instructors here are openly gay, if you haven't noticed."

"Yes, but I prefer for my private life to remain private."

Erwin also took another puff of his cigar, and then he put it out and stored the remainder in an air-tight container to save it for later. He replaced the item inside an inner pocket of his blazer, and he leaned back against the wall. He could keep up the facade and pretend he hadn't noticed a couple of things, but Erwin was curious to find out if he was right. Trying to lead Levi into saying something rarely worked and often wasn't worth the headache, but he fell back on old habits.

"Have you taken an interest in anyone since coming back to campus?"

"Tch. You don't waste any time, do you?" Levi gave him a sidelong, knowing look. "Getting bored with just me, blondie?"

"Never. I'm just considering our agreement, and as I was the last one to choose a candidate, I think it's fair for you to have first choice of the next one."

"You're trying to bait me," accused Levi with confidence.

"I'm trying to encourage you to speak up if someone catches your interest," corrected the professor mildly. "You generally tend to let me make the selection, and considering how these things usually go, I think it's important for you to be the one to pick first, from now on."

Erwin turned his head to meet the younger man's eyes. "I still haven't forgotten how it went the last time."

Levi grimaced a little. "Yeah. I tried to get into the guy."

"I know you did," assured Erwin. "The blame lies with me. I chose based only on my own preferences, without thinking of yours. Perhaps what we need is a balance of both."

"Hmm. I can see that."

Erwin resisted a sigh. "Well then?"

Levi huffed with amusement. "It's really eating you up, isn't it? All right, I've looked. There's a guy that has potential. He's cute, he's got nice eyes and lips. Kind of clumsy and aggressive at once, but he's got the kind of fire in him I could go for. It's not a good idea, though."

"And why is that?"

"'Cause he's a freshman. Just a kid."

Erwin chuckled. "Which is exactly what _you_ were when we first—"

"I know the history," interrupted Levi. "It's just...that was me and you. This is different."

"How so?" pressed Erwin. "If you're interested in him and he's receptive, I don't see the problem. If he's a student on this campus then he's a legal adult, freshman or not."

"You dirty old man," accused Levi, but there was a hint of fondness in his tone. "You've already figured out who it is, haven't you?"

Erwin shrugged. "I may have noticed some chemistry between you and a certain student in my art class. Eren Jaeger, is it?"

Levi sighed and nodded.

Erwin leaned in close to speak into the younger man's ear. "I know you too well now, Levi. I can tell immediately if someone strikes your fancy, even if you're reluctant to admit it. If he intrigues you, by all means learn more about him and get to know him. You've got a talent for sensing when others are interested in you and when they aren't. Use it."

"But how would _you_ feel about it?" murmured the alumnus. "As you already noted, you have different tastes in men than I do. You like pretty boys, I like 'em tall and assertive."

"I chose badly the last time," admitted Erwin. "He was too timid for you, and I fell into the trap of lusting after the thought of seeing two beautiful young men together. Of course I still want that, and if you're truly interested in Eren Jaeger, I don't mind admitting I find him attractive as well. This could potentially be the balance we need. What are your thoughts?"

Levi appeared uncertain, which wasn't normal for him. "My cousin is friends with him. She's staying in the dorm I'm managing."

"Then you should take advantage of that convenience and ask her about him."

Levi frowned. "Mikasa and I aren't close. We grew up in separate places, and our family wasn't big on reunions. Hell, I just found out she existed about six years ago. Doesn't seem right to start grilling her for information on one of her friends. She doesn't even know I'm queer."

"I'm not suggesting you ask for Eren's zodiac sign, turn-ons and turn-offs, but you could have a conversation with her and bring up her friends. Only, of course, if you're as attracted to him as I think you are."

Levi bit his lip...one of those rare signs of indecision. Erwin understood. As open as Levi was to having a poly relationship and experimenting in the bedroom, it was his way to let Erwin call most of the shots. Levi was the sort of man to play hard to get, to seduce his interests with his body language and his eyes, while at the same time leaving it up to them to make the first move. He was anything but passive, but he wasn't prone to reaching out.

"You don't have to," Erwin told him gently. "I'm sorry if I'm pressuring you, Levi."

"No, it's okay." Levi thumped out his cigarette and tossed it in a nearby trash receptacle. "Just give me some time to think about how to approach this, if at all. I'll let you know if anything changes."

Erwin nodded. "Good enough." He took off his glasses to wipe at them. "Are you coming over tonight, or will you be staying in your dorm room?"

"Damn. I'd like to stay over with you, but I've got to get up early in the morning and check on the shop. If I sleep at your place, there won't be much sleeping."

"That was the idea," sighed Erwin, but he smiled patiently. Asking Levi to fill in the staff gap this semester had been a gamble, and he was grateful to him for taking the time out of his schedule. Fortunately as the owner of his own shop, Levi had nobody to answer to except for himself. "I don't blame you for wanting to check in regularly though, even if you do have a competent manager."

"Oluo's all right, but this is my livelihood and I want to make sure he's keeping up with everything okay on his own. Maybe majoring in business here made me paranoid, but I don't want things to go to shit because I slacked off on supervising my own store."

"Then I can wait for another night. Tomorrow night, perhaps? You have no idea how difficult it was for me to keep my hands off of your body when you modeled for us in class, Levi. I want to..."

Erwin whispered the rest into Levi's nearest ear, making him flush. Levi wavered, looking up at the taller man with an expression of desire that he didn't even try to hide. "Now you've got me worked up, asshole."

Erwin laughed softly, and he risked a glance down to see if Levi was embellishing at all. He wasn't. The crotch of the smaller man's track pants was starting to bulge. "Something to think about tonight while you're lying in that dorm room."

"Sadist," grumbled Levi.

* * *

Levi was more torn about the possibility of beginning an approach on Jaeger than Erwin knew. When they parted ways, he returned to House Blue Balls to do a little financing for his shop on his laptop, and his thoughts were so distracted that he ended up staring blankly at the screen when he should have been working. He kept thinking about the conversation and visualizing how it would pan out if a hookup ever did happen.

Erwin liked to watch. He got off on voyeurism; especially if Levi was getting fucked by another man. A certain level of trust and boundaries had to be established, though. The third party had to agree to STD testing all the way around and sharing results with one another, for starters. Protection was optional once it was established that everyone was clean, but should it be requested, there could be no complaining about it. Levi's preferences for bareback or condoms depended on his mood, really. He almost always wrapped his own junk to avoid splatter when he came, but sometimes he did the fucking and whether he wore a condom depended on if the other party was okay with him coming inside of them.

Then there was the delicate matter of determining the third party's preferences. Willingness to be versatile was a must. Levi preferred to bottom and Erwin preferred to top, but both of them liked to switch it up sometimes. There was a tryout of sorts to get through in order to determine the chemistry between the threesome before things went further.

Even if Eren was into guys, he might be a monogamous sort, and Levi had a feeling he could also be a jealous kind of guy. He would have to make it clear to him that they weren't exclusive, and that he could see other people but would have to be tested every month if he opted to. As for Levi and Erwin, they stuck to each other and any third person they brought into their relationship by mutual agreement. Neither of them were interested in collecting a harem of lovers, they just wanted a solid three-way deal with someone they both liked and trusted.

Sometimes Levi wished it were as simple as movies made it look. Three people hook up, start banging and everything is perfect with no jealousy issues, betrayal or tension. That wasn't the reality of it, though. As with any relationship, polyamory required communication, consent and compromise. The three "Big C's" that Erwin always tended to outline whenever entering a new arrangement. Their seriousness about the matter had driven a couple of prospects away in the past, because Erwin treated it kind of like an employee evaluation before declaring the relationship valid.

It led Levi to wonder if Eren was the kind of guy that would be okay with having a spectator the first time he had sex with Levi. There was also the question of whether he would be interested in sexually interacting with Erwin later, even if he agreed to let the blond observe. Finally, he had to be willing to share equally and respect the fact that Levi and Erwin were committed to each other and there was no room for a love triangle. Finding lovers that were truly poly and wouldn't eventually try to get between him and Erwin was a difficult endeavor.

"And can he keep his mouth shut?" Levi muttered aloud.

That was another important thing. If they brought Eren into the relationship, the guy was going to have to keep it to himself. There was a risk that if things went south, he might start talking to people out of spite. He could report it even, and that would cost Erwin his job at the very least. If he tried to make it out like he was coerced into doing it with a professor and a former student, both Erwin and Levi could face legal penalties or even jail.

He had to play it smart...feel the kid out before making a decision on whether to even approach him.

* * *

Eren met up with Armin and Mikasa for lunch at the campus cafe. It was pretty busy, but thanks to the burger place across the street, it wasn't over-crowded. They procured a table on the covered patio after selecting their sandwiches and drinks.

"How was the art class?" asked Armin.

Eren's thoughts went immediately, vividly to the sight of Levi completely nude and exposed. "Like a wet dream," he mumbled around the bite of his turkey on rye. When Mikasa and Armin both stared at him, he quickly revised his answer. "I mean like a dream. I almost fell asleep in class."

"That bad, was it?" Mikasa shook her head, and she sprinkled some pepper on her tuna salad sandwich. "I told you not to bother with that class. You should have taken pop culture with me for your easy elective. You would have liked it. We study and discuss popular entertainment, and my first assignment is to watch a movie and discuss it in class tomorrow."

"Yeah," sighed Eren. "It sounds like a fun class, but I wanted to see if I have a creative bone in my body before making an excuse to veg out more than I already do. That guy Jean is in my art class, too."

"Jean?" Mikasa frowned a little.

"You know, the tall guy with the horse face that got in my face on orientation day."

She shook her head. "I'm not sure who you mean."

"The one that was into you," clarified Eren. "He introduced himself, at least to you."

"Oh, him." Mikasa tilted her head thoughtfully. "He doesn't look like he has a horse face to me."

Since she said it in present tense, Eren paused in the act of taking another bite of his sandwich. He looked at her suspiciously. "Have you been talking to him or something?"

"I've seen him around here and there, between classes." Mikasa shrugged, picking up half of her sandwich. "He invited me to a frat party that's going on this weekend. There's supposedly free jello shots for women."

Armin coughed on his drink. "Mikasa, I thought you were smarter than that!"

"Smarter than what, exactly?" She eyed him expressionlessly. "Socializing with my fellow students when I have some down time?"

"Smarter than...than taking trendy alcohol shots from frat guys that you don't really know," answered the blond lamely. "Eren, a bit of help, here?"

"He's right." Eren frowned at Mikasa with concern. "We've all heard stories about what can happen at these parties, and I'm not letting it happen to you."

"You aren't in a position to decide for me what I can and can't do, Eren." She narrowed her eyes at him warningly. "Drop the 'big brother' act. Besides, I didn't say I plan to go to the party and get wasted. I only said he invited me. I may be too busy to attend."

"But if you aren't?" prompted Eren stubbornly. "How well do you know anybody that's going to be hosting this thing? All it takes is one dose slipped into your drink when you aren't looking, Mikasa. We all know you could kill any guy that tries to mess with you on a regular day, but what if someone gets a lucky opening? You can't fight them off if you're unconscious."

Armin nodded. "That's true. Mikasa, think about it. College campuses are notorious for this kind of thing. We just want to make sure you don't drop your guard and end up as another statistic. At least take a friend with you."

"Right." Eren nodded. "Buddy up with someone. Maybe your room mate could go with you."

"My room mate is even less social than I am," sighed Mikasa. "We disliked each other instantly, and the one good thing I can say about her is that she keeps to herself and hardly says a word to me when we're around each other."

"Oh." Eren wasn't exactly surprised. His mother had remarked a few times on Mikasa's lack of interest in making friends outside of Eren and Armin. She didn't think it was healthy for a young woman to have no girlfriends, but Carla had a more traditional mindset. She didn't think it was proper for a girl to spend all of her time in the company of a pair of boys.

"Well, what about one of your other dorm mates?" suggested Armin. "Have you hit it off with any of them?"

"Not exactly. The term just started and everyone is still trying to acclimate. Some students haven't even finished unpacking their things yet." Mikasa sipped at her juice smoothie, and she wiped her lips with her napkin. "You both should stop worrying, though. My cousin Levi is going to be at this party too."

Eren almost choked on his sandwich. "He is?"

"Yes. You sound surprised."

Eren tried to stash his excitement on the back burner. He hadn't even been invited to the party, and it would sound pretty hypocritical of him to talk about crashing it or getting an invite after lecturing Mikasa over it. He cursed inwardly. This would have been the perfect chance for him to try and interact with Levi Ackerman in a more casual setting.

"He just didn't come off as the kind of guy that would go to a kegger to me," excused Eren softly.

He pictured Levi's jet-black hair, the nipple piercings, the pale skin and the steely gray eyes. No, regardless of Levi's athletic muscle tone, he didn't give off a jock vibe at all. More of a rebel, and with that notion came a mental picture of the compelling young alumnus in black leather, pvc or even lycra. Were Levi's ears pierced? Eren hadn't seen him wearing any earrings, but that could be because the campus board had a dress code for people on the staff. The nipple piercings were usually covered up. Maybe on his own time, Levi was prone to dressing in skin-tight shiny material and tall boots. Maybe he liked to have someone—like Professor Smith—discipline him.

"God, that's hot."

When Armin frowned at him, Eren gestured prudently at the cup of coffee he'd just sipped from. "The java. Too hot to drink right now."

"I thought that was a strange choice in beverages for lunch," remarked the blond, fortunately buying the excuse. "So Mikasa, what is your cousin like? You haven't told us anything about him."

"Your guess is almost as good as mine," she answered bluntly. "We don't have a close relationship. He did tell me he would be keeping an eye on the freshmen that show up at this party, so I think it's safe to say that he's got a protective streak."

Eren shivered subtly, thinking of that riveting, mysterious gaze. "Are you sure he didn't mean he's going to check out the freshmen? Maybe he's in the market for a girlfriend...or a boyfriend."

Mikasa blinked at him. "You think he's on the prowl?"

Eren shrugged, trying to keep it casual. That was hard to do with Armin watching him with that observant stare. "I know I used to check out the new faces in Highschool whenever we'd get a batch of freshmen. I don't think it's unusual, and Levi's just fresh out of college, isn't he?"

"Yes, but that isn't his style," insisted Mikasa. "I know I said I don't really know him that well, but he hasn't given me any reason to think he's doing that. He's always keeping watch over the way people interact in our dorm, and he's made it pretty clear that he doesn't like it when people act like creeps. I'm sure he's not going to the party because he wants to hook up with someone."

"So then he's dating someone," concluded Eren, feeling a little twinge of disappointment.

"I don't know if he is or not." Mikasa shrugged. "I've never seen him with anyone on campus, but he could have someone off grounds. It's really not my business."

Eren nearly asked if she had any idea whether he was interested in men or women, but he refrained because it would be too embarrassing for her to figure out he was into the guy. A different idea came to him, though.

"How about this: I'll come with you to the party if you decide to go to it. Armin can come too."

She looked at him suspiciously. "Why would you want to go when you were just bad-mouthing the people throwing it? Just to protect my virtue?"

"I'll admit I'd feel better if you had us watching your back, but this is also a chance for all three of us to meet new people and make some friends outside our circle."

"Besides," added Armin agreeably, "if we're there with you, then you'll have someone to talk to."

"Yeah." Eren nodded. "You don't want to be the loner girl that stands off in the corner while everyone else is mingling. If you're seen with friends, people might be more interested in talking to you and the creeps won't be as likely to single you out."

Mikasa wavered. "I suppose you have a point. Not that I'm concerned about whether I can handle myself if someone bothers me. I'll admit that I'm not the best at socializing and making new friends, though. I was going to blow the invitation off, but if you two want to come with me, maybe I can give it a try."

She gave Eren a warning look. "No scenes, though. You aren't allowed to go into 'big brother' mode and knock out any guy that looks at me sideways. I decide who's acceptable to talk to and who isn't, and we don't need you making a scene and earning the three of us a bad reputation. Understood?"

Eren nodded. "Got it. I'll keep myself in check."

He finished the rest of his lunch in relative silence, plotting and reviewing in his head all the ways he could try approaching Levi and striking up a conversation. He sure as hell couldn't walk up to the guy and talk about his nude posing in art class as a topic start, so he'd have to think of an alternative.

* * *

Eren's last class of the day was his second elective; Ancestral Studies. He arrived in the coliseum-style classroom and saw Armin waving at him from the third level seating row, in the middle of the semi-circle of observance seating. Mikasa was already there with the blond. They'd saved him a desk, and Eren took the steps up to join them. After taking his seat, he pulled his text book out of his backpack, along with an electronic tablet and stylus for note taking.

"Who's the professor for this class?" whispered Eren after getting set up.

"Didn't you look at your schedule?" chided Armin. "It tells you who each instructor is."

Eren shrugged. "I didn't look at that part. Just memorized the times and locations."

"Well, it's Professor Smith."

Eren felt his expression shift before he could even attempt to control it. His face heated immediately as well, and he knew his friend noticed it. To his credit, Armin didn't call attention to his sudden blush attack. He instead busied himself with inspecting the pages of his copy of the textbook. Mikasa was fortunately pre-occupied with her tablet, looking something up on the internet while they waited for the class to begin.

Eren saw the professor come in through the auditorium door behind the podium, and he straightened up in his seat a little. Erwin naturally looked handsome today, and sophisticated. He wore an outfit of cream colored pants with a matching blazer over a white button-down shirt. The collar of the shirt was open, lending a subtly casual touch to the ensemble. Professor Smith's glasses glinted in the overhead illumination as he stepped up to the podium to greet the class.

"Good afternoon," he said in that deep, authoritative voice. He opened up a laptop that was on the podium, typed something into it and gestured at the massive screen affixed on the wall behind him. His name scrolled onto it in large black text. "As you probably already know, I am Professor Erwin Smith. I'll be instructing this class for the semester."

Erwin picked up a bluetooth remote and carried it with him as he paced the length of the stage. He clicked a button on it, and the screen flashed to a title page. "Now, I'm sure some of you took Ancestral Studies in the interest of coasting on an easy grade. Regrettably for you, this course isn't going to be the smooth sailing you may think. There will be a lot of historical ground to cover, a lot of required study material, and no quarter given to those that slack off."

A shiver went through Eren, and then a thrill. Erwin Smith had a charm about him, but there was also an air of danger that Eren couldn't put his finger on. He might only be an instructor, but he gave the distinct impression that he wasn't a man to be fucked with or disrespected.

Or maybe that was just Eren's attraction to the man giving him that impression.

"Now that we've been properly introduced," Erwin went on, "Please open your text books to chapter one: The Titan Wars. We'll begin today's lesson by visiting the history behind those events, the myths and the origins of the people involved in them."

People did as instructed, and the day's lesson plan began. Eren had trouble concentrating, however. He found himself watching the movements of Erwin's hands too closely, listening to the drone of his voice and imagining he was saying something completely different than what was actually coming out of his mouth. A couple of times, Erwin's piercing blue gaze settled directly on Eren and made him want to squirm in his seat. He wasn't the only one the professor made eye contact with, but something about the way the blond's gaze lingered on him felt so intimate.

By the time the class was over with, Eren had a boner.

* * *

Erwin watched his students file out once the period was over, and he took particular interest in Eren Jaeger. He could definitely understand why the young man appealed to Levi, and he silently congratulated his lover on choosing a third party interest that Erwin also found attractive. Those eyes of Eren's were just beautiful.

Erwin left the classroom once everyone was gone, and he went to his office to grade some papers. He found Levi in there waiting for him, and Erwin lifted an intrigued brow at the sight of the smaller male lounging on his couch with his black shirt unbuttoned down to the navel.

"I take it this isn't a business visit," guessed Erwin with a smile. He closed and locked the door behind him.

"It's about the business of getting laid," corrected Levi, smirking slightly. "It's been too long since I've gotten any. My dorm is starting to live up to the name I christened it with."

Erwin blinked, not understanding the last reference.

"House Blue Balls, remember?" pressed Levi.

"Oh." Erwin chuckled. He'd forgotten all about that, because he had precious little to do with student living arrangements. Unable to resist the temptation of his lover, Erwin crossed the room and bent over Levi's reclining body. He stared into his eyes as he pulled the younger man's shirt open, fully baring his torso. He spared a glance down to admire the sight of that pale, toned chest and six-pack abs. Erwin slid his hands over Levi's chest, feeling the ridges of tight muscle underneath his palms. He toyed with the barbell piercing in Levi's navel, and then he did the same with the nipple piercings.

Levi's eyelids drooped with pleasure, his breath catching slightly as Erwin rubbed the taut little buds in circular motions. The brunet didn't move, remaining submissively still while his lover teased his body. This was one of Erwin's favorite games to play with Levi, to see how long he could go without squirming. He adored how sensitive the man's body was. Sometimes he could make Levi come just by stimulating his nipples.

Today Erwin had little patience for the game, though. He was already bulging in his trousers, aching with frustrated need. It was going on two weeks since he'd had sex with Levi. That had to be some kind of record, because Erwin literally couldn't recall the last time he'd gone without for longer than three days. The last time they'd abstained for even that long was only because Erwin went out of town to attend an education convention.

"I think the name of your dormatory is rubbing off on me," joked Erwin softly. He took one hand away from Levi's chest to cup and shift his package, wincing a bit. "Damn, you've got me so hard already, just from looking at you and touching you this way."

Levi threaded his fingers together behind his head, and his mouth twitched with subtle amusement. "I can see that. The bulge in your crotch is obnoxious, blondie. Looks like your dick might rip through the material at any minute."

"I wouldn't be surprised if it did," Erwin stated seriously. His zipper was straining. The confinement was deliciously uncomfortable to him. Perhaps he _was_ a sadist as Levi so often accused him of being. He did sometimes get off on a certain level of pain, particularly when it was inflicted by his lover. Whenever they made love and Levi was overcome with pleasure, he tended to bite. One time he even drew blood, and the thrill it gave Erwin to feel those sharp white teeth breaking his skin had made him come hard and fast.

"Easy," instructed Erwin as Levi squirmed fitfully, his composure finally shaken. Erwin gave both nipples a gentle squeeze, drawing a moan from the smaller male. "Mmm, I love the slutty noises you make when I play with these, Levi."

The rise and fall of the alumni's chest quickened. His sleepy, passionate gaze stayed on Erwin, and he licked his lips in a way that was obviously intended as flirtatious rather than practical. The shiny gleam of saliva now coating those parted lips made them even more tempting to Erwin, and he gave into his desire and lowered his mouth to Levi's for a dominating kiss. Levi shifted on the couch, letting Erwin's tongue into his mouth without hesitation. He sucked on the protrusion the moment it invaded, teasing it the way he liked to tease Erwin's cock.

Now it was Erwin's turn to groan, and his dick twitched and strained in his pants. He felt a wet spot forming on his crotch; evidence that he was producing copious amounts of precum now. He ravished Levi's mouth for several moments, thrusting his tongue suggestively and reveling in the feel of his lover's lips sealing tightly around it. Erwin broke the kiss when it started getting difficult to breathe, and he reared back to affix Levi with his burning stare. He issued a demand, his voice rough and heavy with passion.

"Take your pants and shoes off, lover."

Levi took his hands from behind his head, biting his lip and sucking in sharp breaths while complying with the order. Erwin kept playing with his nipples, watching with a sharp appetite as his lover's shaky hands started fumbling with his pants. Levi realized his mistake when he lifted his hips and started trying to shimmy out of the garment, and he blasted a foul curse.

"Fuck. Should have taken the shoes off first."

Erwin held back laughter over the reckless impatience. "Allow me, sweetheart."

Levi sighed and bent his legs so that Erwin could unlace his shoes for him and take them off. The blond pulled his lover's socks off next, and he kissed the toes of both feet in a romantic gesture. Levi's calves tightened under the soft assault, and he grunted tellingly. Erwin grinned at him, amused by his attempt to conceal his ticklishness.

"You are so cute," complimented Erwin. He pulled Levi's pants off then, and he wasn't very surprised to find that Levi was going commando. Now wearing only his black shirt, Levi watched him with a dagger-like stare. That intensity was due to lust, but had it been someone else in Erwin's place, they might have confused it for anger.

"How do you want me?" husked Levi when Erwin ran his palms over his bare thighs in a possessive caress. Levi spread his legs, giving Erwin a full, glorious view of his erection, balls and that tight little hole he was about to enjoy.

"I want you in my lap," decided Erwin after a moment. "I want you to ride me backwards."

"Hmm, we haven't done it like that for a while." Levi's tone was full of approval. "Shall we do it here on the couch, or in your desk chair?"

Recalling the last time they'd done it in the latter spot and how Levi had accidentally knocked his coffee over onto his computer keyboard, Erwin revised his initial response.

"Here on the couch. Just wait a moment while I get the lube and protection."

"We can do it bareback," suggested Levi breathily. "I'm clean. I had a shit less than an hour ago and I washed myself out afterwards."

"If that's your preference," stated Erwin readily. His cock throbbed at the thought of having Levi without a barrier. The only reason they generally made use of condoms was for hygienic purposes, unless they were having a three-way with a partner that hadn't been tested yet.

"Get the lube." Levi arched his back, putting himself on erotic display for the blond. "Hurry, gorgeous. My ass is throbbing."

Erwin needed no further prompting. He straightened up and went to his desk, limping slightly due to the prominent tent in the crotch of his pants. He fished his keys out of his pocket to unlock the middle drawer of his desk, where he kept emergency supplies of condoms and lube for just such occasions. Ignoring the connected packs of condoms, he went straight for the lubricant. He uncapped the tube and went back to the couch, nudging Levi's feet to prompt him to scoot back and bend his legs.

Levi sat up and rested his back against the crook between the arm and the back of the couch. He lifted one leg and dropped it over the back of the couch, leaving it dangling at the knee. The other leg, he let hang over the edge of the cushion, and his expectant, inviting stare roused Erwin's passions further.

"I've got to free the beast," grunted Erwin decisively. "These pants are too damned tight."

"Heh. I was wondering when it would finally prove too much for you." Levi lifted his left foot off the floor, and he kneaded Erwin's crotch with it. "There's plenty of flesh in there, but there's never enough material to contain all of it. You're hung like a fucking horse, Smith."

Erwin tried not to gloat under the praise. When they first started seeing each other, Erwin wondered if Levi went for him just because of the size of his goods. Levi had assured him that though he loved a big dick, that wasn't the primary reason he'd been drawn to him. Still, it gave Erwin a sense of pride to know that he could make his lover come with one single thrust. He was more than ready to demonstrate that fact.

Erwin hastily tried to warm up the lubricant in his hands, and after rubbing the tube between his palms for a moment, he squirted some of it onto his fingers. He applied more beneath Levi's ball sack, lining the rosy pucker beneath them. God, he loved that darling little kiss between Levi's butt cheeks. He loved to fondle it, lick it, stretch it until his lover was panting his name. Erwin rubbed round the edge of it with slippery fingertips, and he lifted his gaze from it to stare at Levi's face.

"You really are beautiful," he commented as Levi's brows pinched. He inserted a finger slowly, and he listened to Levi's resulting gasp. The resistance gave within moments. Levi was well-trained to accept penetration, and he relaxed his body accordingly. Erwin thrust gently, cupping and weighing Levi's scrotum in his palm briefly each time he pressed deeply into him.

"Shit," Levi gasped, lifting his hips encouragingly. "Even your fingers are huge. Feels amazing, Erwin."

Erwin curled the mentioned finger, and Levi jerked accordingly and tossed his head. "Hah!"

Right there. He had him, and Erwin wasn't about to let the moment of advantage pass him by. He stroked and pressed, watching every reaction from his lover like a hawk. To his credit, Levi held it together rather well despite his sensitivity. Erwin rubbed the lump inside of Levi eagerly, and he was rewarded with a shudder and a moan.

"Erwin...oh, oh...ooohhh!"

His cries were music to Erwin's ears. He didn't relent, and he reached out with his free hand to play with Levi's nipples one at a time. Levi's eyes rolled back and slid shut. He began to rock into Erwin's touch, moaning steadily. He was getting close. Two thick drops of prefluid leaked from the flushed, pink tip of Levi's cock, meandering down the swollen length of it to collect in the dark thatch of hair framing the base.

"Gonna come," rasped Levi in warning. The pallor of his face gained a blush of passion. "Fuck, I'm gonna—"

"Not yet," interjected Erwin sternly. He tore his hand away from Levi's chest to grip his arousal, squeezing it firmly enough to prevent Levi's arousal. "Not yet, love. Not until I'm inside of you."

"Hah...hah...h-hurry up then," begged the younger man between pants. His eyes cracked open, their gray depths skewering Erwin. "So fucking turned on..."

Erwin could see that without a doubt. Levi was breaking into a sweat. The sheen of perspiration made his skin glow, highlighting his muscle tone. It made Erwin want to lick him all over. He gave in to his impulses, and he bent over the prone young man to kiss his right nipple. Still keeping a grip on his cock to delay his orgasm. The most delightful expression of pleasure was on Levi's face, caught somewhere between pain and bliss.

"Erwin...fuck!"

The blond slipped another finger inside, scissored the pair of them for a bit, and then put in a third. He was careful with it despite Levi's cooperation, because even as quickly as the smaller man could adjust to the penetration, the fact remained that Erwin was much bigger than average. He'd hurt his lover by accident once before when he got too excited and impatient to wait for him to fully stretch. That was a mistake Erwin never intended to repeat.

He covered Levi's mouth in a kiss as he pumped his fingers, swallowing Levi's gasps and moans. He fought back his urgency, forcing himself to take his time even though he felt like he would soon explode with lust. He tickled Levi's prostate again, drawing a shudder from him. The hand Erwin was using to grip Levi's cock was now covered in drops and trails of precum. Levi's face was a lovely shade of pink from his excitement, and his panting had reached a desperate level.

"I think it's time we got started," murmured Erwin against Levi's lips.

He removed his fingers from inside of him, released his cock and helped Levi sit up. He let the brunet eagerly undo his pants, and he hissed with relief once Levi got them open and freed his arousal. Erwin sat back on the couch, watching as his lover fondled him. He allowed it for a few minutes, until he was getting too close to release to let it go on. He caught Levi's wrist to still his strokes, taking deep, calming breaths. Levi didn't need to be told anything; he knew Erwin well enough now to read his body language and expressions.

"Let me know when you're calm enough," said Levi, obeying the silent order and leaving off Erwin's cock.

Erwin nodded, and he practiced an old trick of thinking of unpleasant things to tame his arousal. When he felt he could go on, he nodded at his companion. He cupped Levi's hips as the smaller man straddled his lap with his back to him. Erwin positioned himself, and he guided Levi down. True to form, Levi moaned shakenly as soon as the blond's thick length began to vanish from sight into his body. He lifted up when it was halfway in, allowed it to slide out almost to the tip, and then eased himself back down onto it again. He did this a few times until his insides relaxed enough to take the full length, and then he took it in balls deep.

"Nnh...at last," sighed Levi gratefully.

He put his hands over Erwin's as the blond reached around to stroke his chest. Because of their size difference, it was easy for Erwin to kiss Levi in this position. Had they been more of a height, he would have had to settle for kissing his shoulders or the back of his neck, but since Erwin had a few inches on the alumnus even sitting down with Levi in his lap, he was able to lean forward and reach his lip. He cupped Levi's chin with one hand, urging him to turn his head so their mouths could connect. Erwin caressed Levi's tongue with his own, while fondling his right nipple with the other hand. He flicked the piercing on it, making Levi jerk and gasp.

They started to move, with Levi rocking smoothly on top of him and Erwin canting his hips up and down, synchronizing with the smaller man. He always let his partner set the pace when Levi rode him like this, because it was such a deeply penetrating position. Levi made a purring sound in his throat that always drove Erwin to distraction when he heard it. The blond broke the kiss to speak in a low, breathy voice against Levi's cheek.

"I remember when you got these," Erwin remarked, now fondling both nipple piercings. "I think about it every time I see or touch them. Do you remember that day?"

"How...could I forget?" gasped Levi.

Erwin smirked. "I sometimes wish we could relive it." He pumped just a little harder, drawing a whimper from the younger male. "I suppose we could...but that would require you taking the piercings out and letting the holes close up. It wouldn't be fair to you."

"You just liked watching my reaction when the needle went in," accused Levi. "Filthy pervert."

"Guilty as charged," Erwin agreed without apology. "I wasn't expecting you to come like that."

"At least...that didn't happen with the...belly button piercing," gasped Levi. "Hey, maybe _you_ should think of getting some body jewelry."

"If I was seen by anyone with visible body piercings as an instructor, it might be the end of my career," reminded Erwin. He flicked the silver barbells again, giving Levi another jolt that had him groaning with pleasure.

"I wasn't talking about anything visible to the casual observer," explained Levi. He craned his neck to look Erwin in the eye. "I was thinking of something further south, if you know what I mean. Then again, if you got a Jacob's Ladder or Prince Albert, I'd probably be coming so hard I'd end up losing my voice after the first encounter."

"Oh?" Erwin had to admit he was intrigued by the thought. He really got off on tearing down Levi's walls and making him express himself with such passion.

"Yeah. You already make me hotter than a bonfire when you fuck me. Forget I suggested the piercing."

Erwin chuckled breathlessly, and he slid one hand down, feeling Levi's abs bunch and relax with his gyrations. He traced the barbell in the brunet's navel, and then he fisted his hand around Levi's arousal. Erwin stroked it slowly while making sure to keep pleasuring Levi's nipples one at a time with the other hand.

"What if _you_ got a piercing or two down there? You seem to do well with body accessories."

"It would be...mostly ornamental for me," reasoned Levi. He moaned softly before continuing. "Sure it would serve a purpose when we switch, but we don't do that very often."

"True, but I'll bet it would look amazing on you." Erwin kissed the side of Levi's throat. "Just something to think on."

"We'll...see."

Erwin didn't press the issue. It was funny how it started with Levi suggesting he do it, then got turned around on him. Erwin felt Levi's inner walls quiver around him, revealing that he was using the most pleasurable angle for the smaller man. As he thrust into him, fondled and kissed Levi, Erwin considered the possibility of getting a cock piercing. It wasn't something he would have ever dreamed of doing before. The penis was one of the most sensitive parts of a man's body, and having a needle driven into his wasn't a scenario Erwin exactly daydreamed about.

If it would give Levi more intense orgasms though...

"Hah...I'm coming," rasped Levi. He started bouncing on Erwin desperately, his body tensing up with his impending release. "Erwin... _Erwin_!"

"Yes," growled the blond, a thrill going through him in response to the helpless bliss in Levi's tone. It took perhaps three more pumps to push him over the edge, and Erwin embraced him tightly from behind, resting his chin on Levi's shoulder as the spasms began. Erwin groaned when Levi's ass clenched rhythmically around his length. He felt a warm splatter on one of his forearms, and he reveled in the mess. Erwin couldn't last any longer. Usually, he preferred longer encounters, gunning for at least ten minutes. Sometimes he could even last for twenty, but that wasn't going to happen today—especially without a barrier to dull the sensations.

"Levi..." Erwin squeezed him harder, and then he groaned loudly and filled him. He pulsed inside of him, grunting and panting while it ran its course. God, he loved going bareback with his lover. There was something primal and satisfying about coming inside of Levi without a condom to catch it all.

Erwin relaxed his embrace and kissed Levi's sweaty, flushed cheek. He sighed with satisfaction, pleased with the outcome of this office visit. He rocked Levi in his arms, allowing himself a few moments of warm affection while they recovered. This had been a vanilla encounter compared to the ones they usually had at home, but Erwin was in the habit of giving comfort care to his lover afterwards. He murmured praise to him, stroked his body and gave him little kisses, just as he would have if he'd disciplined him or tied him up. He supposed it was warranted, considering he'd deprived Levi of orgasm in the beginning.

Levi didn't seem to mind the attention. In fact, he started to nod off after a while. Erwin smiled when he noticed, and he nipped at the brunet's earlobe to rouse him.

"I'm still inside you," Erwin murmured, "and yet you can fall asleep so easily?"

Levi gave a slight start, and then he covered his mouth on a yawn. "Look at it as a compliment, big guy. I'm just that comfortable with you. Plus I've been saving it up all week and I burned a lot of energy this time."

Erwin could believe that. Levi tended to sleep better after a good fuck. It seemed to be the only thing that really helped his insomnia. Erwin gently eased out of him, and he helped Levi climb off of his lap. He watched as the smaller man got up and arched his back to stretch. Erwin stared at the trickle of cum that dribbled out of Levi's ass. It was unreasonably sexy to him.

"There are wet wipes in the desk," Erwin said huskily, not trusting himself to touch Levi without initiating another encounter. He had another class to instruct in about twenty minutes, so there was no time for a repeat performance.

"I know where they are."

Levi went over to the desk to retrieve the container of wipes, and he cleaned himself up before offering a couple to Erwin. While Erwin tidied up and straightened his clothes, Levi found his pants and put them on. He then buttoned up his shirt, and he glanced up when halfway finished and noticed Erwin still staring at him.

"Shit, if I were a woman, I'll bet I'd get pregnant just from that look you're giving me," observed Levi with a tilt of his head.

Erwin laughed. "If you were a woman, we wouldn't be together."

"Hmm, good point." Levi fetched his socks, and he sat back down next to Erwin to put them on.

"I had your friend Jaeger in my Ancestral Studies class today," Erwin informed conversationally. "Perhaps I was imagining it, but I think I'm detecting some interest from him. Either that, or he was just so focused on the lesson that he couldn't take his attention off of me."

"Oh yeah?" Levi smirked, and he put on his shoes. "He didn't seem so riveted on you when you had me posing nude in the art class."

"Of course not," scoffed Erwin. "Who could pay attention to me when you're standing naked before them? In any case, not having you around to distract him allowed me to observe his reactions to me. I think we actually have a shot at bringing him into our circle, if you still want to do that."

Levi nodded. "Yes, I'm still interested. I'm just testing the waters right now, playing it by ear. As hot as that kid is, seducing him doesn't come without risks; especially to you. I want to be sure this won't turn into a disaster before I reel him in, and for that, I'm going to need time."

"So you're not going to convince him with a blowjob the way you did me?" Erwin grinned playfully at him.

"Tch. No. That was pretty reckless of me, I admit. I was younger and more impulsive then, not to mention horny and impatient. I've got to use a more subtle approach with Eren...let him make the first move."

"And if he doesn't?" questioned Erwin. "What if he's the shy type and doesn't pick up on your hints?"

"Hey, I broke you," reminded Levi. "I can break him too. I just can't use physical contact to do it in this case. If Jaeger is as gay and interested in me as I think he is, he'll eventually try something. I've just got to keep setting him up with opportunities to do it."

"I see. Well, perhaps you should consider volunteering to train the wrestling team. As I understand it, Eren's signed up for it."

"Hmm...that might be an idea," conceded Levi. "For later, though. I think if I go for that now I might be rushing things. It would be awkward if I completely misread him and end up getting a boner while wrestling with him."

"You really _are_ being cautious with this one," Erwin declared. "Was the last one so horrible that it has you spooked about a poly relationship, love?"

"No, just more careful," explained Levi. "I really do still want to do this with you, but I'd like this one to work for us if it's going to happen. I'm tired of disappointment."

"I understand." Erwin leaned in for a brief kiss. "Will you come to the apartment tonight, or do I have to settle for office encounters for a bit?"

"I need to stay on campus," Levi sighed, "at least while I'm working on getting a feel for Eren Jaeger and catching his interest. Once I either accomplish that or have to write him off as a prospect, I'll spend more time at the apartment. You understand, right? It's easier to keep an eye on him if I'm not coming and going all the time."

"I do understand," assured Erwin, swallowing his disappointment. "Do what you feel is best, Levi. I can wait."

He had to admit though, his bed was getting pretty lonely at night without Levi lying next to him.

* * *

-To be continued


	3. Chapter 3: The Frat Party

The weekend approached, and Eren was frankly relieved to get a break from his classes and studies. He was even looking forward to the party he and his friends would be going to tonight. He needed a distraction from the unbidden fantasies he'd been experiencing all week long. He kept running into Levi on campus. He was sure it was just a coincidence, but it seemed like half the time while on his way to a classroom, Levi was on his way from the same building. The alumnus always gave Eren a brief nod of greeting in passing, never saying anything but staring at him in a way that made Eren's pulse quicken. It might seem casual to anyone observing these exchanges, but Eren felt that there was a special heat between them.

In addition to his constant run-ins with the gorgeous alumnus, Eren had two classes with Erwin Smith as his instructor. He couldn't avoid him if he tried, short of dropping out of said classes and taking up something different under another instructor. Eren genuinely enjoyed the courses he was taking under Instructor Smith though, and he wasn't sure if it was because he liked looking at Erwin or because of the subject material. He had to admit to himself that the thought of Levi posing nude again some day kept his interest in Art class peaked.

Eren's thoughts swirled around the two men as he chose an outfit for the party. He hadn't really seen Levi and Erwin interact on more than a casual level, but he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something between them that went beyond an instructor and a former student. He wondered if Erwin had instructed Levi while he was earning his degree there, or if he'd come along after Levi graduated. He wanted to ask Mikasa to tell him more about Levi, but he was afraid of seeming obsessed. She'd also told him that she and Levi weren't very close, so what good would it do to grill her about his personal habits?

"This should work," Eren muttered after selecting a sleeveless green shirt with an image of a guitar on it, followed by a pair of black jeans. He didn't want to overdress. He changed into his chosen outfit, checked himself out in the full-length mirror attached to the wall and combed his hair.

Armin came into their dorm room just as Eren was finishing up with his preening. The blond carried his book bag over to the desk and set it down beside it, and then he looked Eren up and down.

"You're taking a lot of care with your appearance tonight," observed Armin. He smiled. "Are you hoping to bring someone home after the party? Or go home with them, as the case may be?"

Eren smirked, and he put on his watch. "I'm not expecting to hook up with anyone, but it doesn't hurt to put a little effort into my appearance just in case. You never know. You might meet someone cute too while we're there."

"I might," sighed Armin, "but I very much doubt they'll reciprocate interest even if I do. The co-eds tend to go for guys more like you."

"Gay guys?" Eren raised his brows. "They're shooting themselves in the foot if that's true."

"No," chuckled Armin. "I mean sporty types. Not the nerdy guys like myself. They like the jocks."

"I wouldn't call myself a 'jock'," protested Eren. "Aside from the wrestling team, I'm not doing any sports."

"It still counts, and if you join the swim team next semester like you've been talking about, that's two you'll have under your belt."

Eren shrugged. "I'm not sure about it yet. I like the classes I'm taking so far, and I might take more advanced versions of some of them when it's time to sign up again. I don't want to bog myself down too much with the extracurricular stuff."

"That's funny," muttered Armin, sounding truly puzzled.

"What is?" Eren looked through his wardrobe for a light jacket, just in case the temperature dropped enough for him to need it.

"You putting aside extracurricular activities in favor of the more educational variety. I expected you to load up on a lot more of them for extra credits, only taking the required courses for your degree. You and Mikasa are so action oriented, I just assumed you'd both be big jocks on campus."

Eren smirked, finally selecting a deep blue windbreaker for the night. "Yeah, I like being active. I guess I'm just delving into other things since we enrolled here. Stretching my wings a bit, you know. I'm never going to be as scholarly as you are, though. That's where you shine, not me or Mikasa."

"Well, I suppose I have to shine at something," came the soft response. Armin walked over to his own closet to start picking out clothing for the night. "Are you nervous at all about this party? I am."

"Nah, it's just going to be a bunch of students our age having a good time and getting drunk. We might even meet some new people."

"You might," sighed Armin. "I'm not good at making new friends...at least not in those circles."

Eren sobered at his friend's glum tone. He dropped his jacket on his bed, and he approached Armin. "Hey, are you worried someone's going to pick on you at this party? You know I won't let that happen."

"I can't always expect you and Mikasa to race to my rescue," Armin stated. "I have to learn my own way sometime."

"Armin," sighed Eren, "you can't always talk your way out of everything. Some people are just too thick-witted. It's okay to need help from your two best friends now and then. Hell, I ask you for help with that fucking algebra I hate so goddamned much. You can ask me for help with this kind of stuff."

Armin paused in the act of picking out a shirt. "I know that, Eren. I just think you're right. I mean about spreading wings. We're all doing it, all three of us trying to find our places in life. Perhaps if you're willing to take on more academics, I should try standing up for myself more at the very least."

Eren broke into a smile. "How funny is this? For the first time in all these years we've known each other, we're stepping into each others' territory and trying to learn new things."

Armin also smiled. "So it seems. Do you think this shirt is okay for the party?" He held up a wine colored button-down polyester shirt with long sleeves.

"Might be a little fancy for a frat party," suggested Eren. He joined Armin at the closet and sifted through the blond's wardrobe. "Damn, don't you own any t-shirts? Everything in here is either polo style or long-sleeved."

"Of course I do. I keep them in my dresser with my singlets."

"Oh." Eren walked to the simple brown dresser and checked through the drawers until he found the one hiding the casual tops. He checked a sigh after passing up three with book references and one with some kind of cartoon giant on it. Finally, he located a plain blue t-shirt, and he took it out.

"Here," Eren tossed the shirt to Armin. "Wear this one. It doesn't shout 'nerd' right out the gate and it isn't pink, so it should be fine."

"I don't understand the gender assignment to colors," sighed Armin. He took his current polo shirt off and slipped into the t-shirt. "I also find it ironic that I'm asking a gay guy to help me be more macho."

"You're bitching about people associating colors with gender, but you're going to stereotype gays?" Eren snorted. "Talk about irony."

Armin grinned at him, and Eren grinned back. The familiar banter came easily to the young men after years of close friendship.

"Back to the subject of clothes," said Armin after a moment, regaining a more serious demeanor, "are these pants I'm already wearing okay?"

Eren studied the blue jeans, and he nodded. "Yeah, those will do. Ditch the loafers, though. I'd wear tennis shoes or boots if you have them."

"Got it."

Armin went to his closet again and selected a pair of simple brown cap toe boots to wear. He finished getting dressed, and then he went to the mirror. He freed his hair from the clasp holding the sides of it back so that he could brush it and reset it.

"Hey, maybe you should go for a ponytail tonight," suggested Eren.

Armin glanced at him from the corner of his eye, holding his hair clasp in his mouth while brushing his blond locks. "Mmm?"

"No offense, but some of the people at this party might think the style you were just wearing it in looks a little girly. You should either let it hang loose or tie it back in a ponytail."

Armin stopped what he was doing and took the clasp out of his mouth. "Ah, I see your point. All right; a ponytail it is."

Eren nodded in approval. While he hated to be critical of his friend's fashion choices, he also wanted to ensure there was the least chance possible of anyone giving Armin a hard time at this party. Being gay, Eren understood the value of concealing certain aspects of oneself from others for the sake of living in relative peace.

* * *

Though Levi wasn't terribly keen on a lot of party behavior that took place at these events, he participated accordingly. A lot of students from his house were attending, so he socialized in his own way and even helped with a couple of keg stands.

 _~The shit I do for a hot piece of ass,~_ Levi thought as he lifted another student to help him guzzle from the keg. Naturally when his cousin mentioned in passing that she would be here tonight, Levi presumed her friend Eren would also come. That gave him incentive to be here. It gave him an excuse to interact more with Eren and get a better feel for him.

He felt like he was turning into a fucking stalker. He'd never gone through this much trouble to land a partner. Erwin was usually the one to take the bigger initiative and set things up, but after the last time, Levi felt he had to play a bigger part in it. He just hoped it wouldn't end up with Eren pressing charges or getting a restraining order. He just had to play it right and make sure he wasn't too obvious about setting up encounters with the freshman.

"Hey Levi, take a selfie with me?"

Levi turned, still holding up the guy doing the keg stand. He recognized the girl he asked as one of the ladies' basketball team members. She had brown hair in a pixie cut and wide hazel eyes, and she looked at him hopefully. Levi detected a faint blush on her cheeks. He couldn't be sure if it was because of the alcohol she'd consumed, or if it was because she was crushing on him.

"Sure. Just give me a minute. Of course if you're really impatient, I could just drop this guy on his face."

"Ah, don't do that!" She laughed a bit nervously, glancing at the keg sucking student. "I can wait."

Levi nodded, waited for the guy to finish drinking his fill and then set him down upright. The guy wiped his lips and grinned at Levi. "Man, you're a lot stronger than you look!"

"I hear that a lot," answered Levi. "Excuse me."

He joined the basketball girl, allowed her to put her head close to his and snap a selfie with him using her phone. Levi didn't smile for the photo of course, but he doubted she cared. Her name was Beth, if he recalled correctly.

"Thanks," she said with a smile, checking out the resulting image. "You're so cool, Levi."

"Enjoy the night," he said casually in response. "Don't overdo it, all right?"

"I'll be careful," promised the girl whose name was probably Beth.

"Yo, Levi!"

He checked a sigh and turned in the direction of the new voice that had called out to him. It was Reiner, who was acting as the voluntary bar tender for the night. "What is it?"

"Come get a shot." Reiner waved him over.

Levi approached the table set up at the foot of the staircase, but he didn't reach for the shot that the big blond offered him. "I don't want to get shit-faced. I've got things to do in the morning and I don't need to be contending with a hangover."

"Come on, live a little," urged Reiner, his chiseled features relaxing into a slight grin. "You like Jager, right?"

Levi blinked. "Excuse me?" His face started going warm, and he wondered how in the ever-loving fuck Braun had figured it out and why he was bringing it up.

"Jagermeister," explained Reiner. "I thought you told me it was one of your favorite poisons."

"Oh." Levi mentally slapped himself for his stupidity in thinking that Reiner was talking about the student rather than the drink. How coincidental that one of his favorite beverages also happened to share a similar name to the guy he was interested in banging. "Tempting, but I think I'll pass."

"Come on," insisted Reiner, waving the shot glass close to Levi's face. "You know you want to."

"What are you, deaf? I said I don't—"

At that moment, Levi turned his head away from the shot and saw Eren Jaeger walking through the front entrance of the fraternity house with Mikasa and Armin.

"On second thought, give it to me," Levi decided, reaching for the glass without taking his eyes off his prey. It wasn't like him to be nervous about approaching someone. His first time to experience flirting anxiety had been with Erwin, and now apparently the same thing was happening with Eren. As far as Levi was concerned, that meant the chemistry was right. Any guy that could make his pulse race and dry up the saliva in his mouth was definitely worth pursuing.

Braun grinned outright and handed over the shot. Levi took it, spared a glance down at it and then eyed Reiner askew. "This doesn't have any 'special ingredients', does it?"

"What, you mean like a roofie?" Reiner sobered and shook his head. "Not on your life. That's why I'm bartending tonight; to make sure no drinks get tampered with. You know me better."

Levi shrugged, and he downed the shot in one gulp. "Give me one more."

"Sold you on it, huh?" Reiner obliged him, pulling open the freezer behind him to get the bottle out and poor more of the chilled drink. "Here you go. Nice to see you unclench a little."

Levi hid a smirk. If Braun had any idea of just how easily he could "unclench" under the right circumstances...but that was nobody's business. Levi drank the second shot more sparingly, and he watched Eren and his group subtly as they made their way through the room and talked to some people as they went. They were heading right for him. Levi had another sip of his shot, and then he turned his back to them and pretended interest in the jell-o shots lined up on the table.

"Levi?"

The alumnus turned. It wasn't Eren's voice that spoke his name, but Mikasa's. He plastered a bored, neutral expression on his face and he briefly scanned all three faces before addressing his cousin. "Hey. I'm a little surprised you actually came. Parties aren't your style."

"Neither are they yours," she pointed out. She glanced around. "What are you doing here? I thought you hated noisy shenanigans."

He shrugged. "I do. I'm just here for appearances, really. So many of our house brothers and sisters rode my ass to show up that I decided to hang for a while just to shut them up."

"How charitable of you," she said dryly. She glanced between her two companions. "Eren, Armin, you remember Levi."

"Of course," agreed Armin with a polite smile.

"Yeah," said Eren.

His eyes were boring into Levi, though not in a threatening way. That was sheer desire in the kid's eyes, and Levi was practiced enough to know it when he saw it. Eren had looked at him like that twice before; once upon their first sighting of each other, and again when Levi had posed nude in the art class. Levi wasn't such an expert at detecting female attraction toward him, but he knew the signs in males.

He also noticed something else when he met Eren's stare flat-on. The guy's irises changed colors. Levi blinked slowly with veiled surprise. Jaeger's eyes went from a brilliant emerald green shade to a golden color, changing gradient from the outer edges to the pupils so that they appeared amber rimmed with green. Levi had never seen someone's eyes change color like that before. He'd witnessed changes in intensity of the pigment according to emotion, but this was much different.

_~Holy shit. This guy's eyes are like a mood ring or something. They fucking change colors with his emotions?~_

Apparently so, because as Levi stared Eren down in wonderment, the freshman's demeanor visibly changed. His passion cooled, slanting into uncertainty and embarrassment. As this happened, the heat in Eren's gaze also cooled and the golden tint faded back into the vivid green that Levi was used to seeing.

"Well," Eren said at last, awkward now, "I hope you're at least having a decent time, even if you didn't want to be here tonight."

Levi nearly smirked. He certainly was having a better time _now_ , but it wasn't the right moment to say anything that might be construed as flirtatious. Perhaps later when the night had matured and Eren had a little alcohol in him. Liquor tended to cripple people's inhibitions and embolden them. It also seemed to loosen their tongues and make them more honest, whether it was a good idea or not.

The plan for step two began to take form in Levi's mind. He asked Reiner to top up his Jagermeister, and he made a suggestion to his cousin and her companions. "It's an open bar if you guys don't want to hit the keg. Looks like Reiner stocked it up well."

"Thanks," said Armin, "but I think I'll avoid alcoholic drinks, myself."

Eren frowned at the blond. "What? Why come to a frat party if you're not going to have a drink? You're missing the whole point of this, Armin."

"I understand that drinking is a big highlight of campus culture," defended Armin with a shrug, "but I don't need to imbibe to enjoy myself. Besides, I have no tolerance. You remember the last time I tried something with alcohol in it, don't you?"

Eren winced, and Levi found himself mildly curious. "What happened?" asked the alumnus.

"I fell on my face after half a beer." Armin smiled in a self-depreciating manner and spread his hands helplessly. "What can I say? I'm an extreme light weight. I'd rather spend time with you guys and remember it the next day than end up lying in my own vomit."

"Okay, I get it," sighed Eren. "I'm sure they've got soda here, especially if they're serving mixed drinks."

Levi nodded. "Ask Reiner to make you a Shirley Temple or a virgin daiquiri, Arlert. He's actually taken some Mixology courses, so he makes decent cocktails."

"I'll take your advice," promised Armin. "Excuse me, please. That virgin daiquiri suggestion perked my interest."

Levi sipped his drink, and he watched the threesome approach the bar to request their respective poisons. Eren got a bourbon and soda, Mikasa got a Jager bomb—no real surprise there since she and Levi did share some taste preferences—and Armin got his virgin strawberry daiquiri. Now it was all about timing and finding a way to separate Eren from his friends for a while so Levi could speak in private to him. He wanted him pleasantly buzzed and relaxed, but not staggering and sloppy. Having no idea of Eren's tolerance, Levi needed to be observant and watch for the ideal moment.

* * *

Unaware of Levi's silent plotting or that the alumnus was even interested in him, Eren did his best to cover up his mortification and self-disgust. He'd eyeballed Levi openly like the man was a prime rib he wanted to sink his teeth in, and he doubted he'd been very subtle about it. He got the distinct feeling that Levi noticed it, if nobody else did. That just wasn't cool. If he'd seen someone looking at Mikasa that way, he'd have challenged them for being a creep and probably knocked them out flat. It was one thing to leer openly at one's own lover, but to do it to a casual acquaintance or stranger was becoming more and more a social no-no.

_~Especially when the other party hasn't shown any return interest. Fuck, I'm a loser.~_

"Hey homies, welcome to the party!"

Eren gave a start as someone clapped him and Armin on the back. He turned to look at a short guy with close-shaved hair and rather wide hazel eyes, dressed in a black t-shirt with a metal band logo on it, baggy gray denim pants and sneakers. He had no idea who he was or why he was approaching him like they were buddies.

"Oh! Eren, this is Connie Springer," Armin introduced, catching on to Eren's puzzlement. "He's in my music theory class. Connie, this is my old friend and dorm mate, Eren Jaeger. Now, where did Mikasa run off to?"

While Armin searched around for their suddenly missing friend, Eren relaxed his guard and offered Connie a smile. "Nice to meet you. Music theory, huh? Do you play anything?"

"Guitar and drums," answered Connie. "I'm more partial to the drums, though. What about you?"

"I couldn't play an instrument to save my life," admitted Eren. "I'm decent at some sports, though."

"Oh yeah? What's your game?"

"Right now I'm on the wrestling team. I'm going to see how that goes, and if I still like it by next semester, I'll stick with it. If not I might try out for the swim team."

"So you're a jock, huh?" Connie grimaced slightly, suggesting he wasn't terribly fond of that social group.

Eren shook his head. "I wouldn't classify myself as one, no. I don't really have a niche, if that makes sense. I'm just trying out different things until I find something that really grabs me, you know?"

"So you don't have a major yet?" guessed Connie.

Eren chuckled dryly. "No. I guess that makes me look indecisive to some people."

"Not to me," assured Connie with a smirk. "That makes you well-rounded, man. If you don't know what you want to do, you might as well pick up a lot of different things. I know folks that make good livings just being a jack of all trades. Could be that's what you're meant to do."

Eren nodded, appreciating Connie's opinion on it. "What about you? Is music going to be your major?"

"You bet it is. Oh hey, here come Armin again." Connie nodded at the approaching blond, and Eren turned partly to look at his friend.

"Find her?" asked Eren.

"Not so much," answered Armin. He addressed Connie. "I'm a little surprised to see you here. I didn't think this was your crowd, Connie."

"It's not," confirmed the music major. "They're just cool with me because my band plays at the hangouts, so we got invited to this thing. What about you though, Armin? This ain't your kind of crowd either."

"I just came with my friends," excused the blond. "Consider it a sort of social experiment for me."

Connie leaned a little closer to the other males. "Just between us, I'm really just here for a girl I like. She hangs with this crowd sometimes because she's on the archery team, so I'm hoping she'll show up tonight."

"Sometimes I wonder if that's the primary motivation behind these parties," mused Armin, "to find someone to—"

"Hey, there she is!"

Connie's exclamation interrupted Armin's philosophizing. He and Eren followed the direction of Connie's smitten stare, and they saw a coed bringing a large Tupperware bowl to the snack table. She was a little taller than average, cute, and had her brown hair pulled back into a ponytail. She was wearing a plain yellow t-shirt and denim shorts, and she was barefoot. She said something enthusiastically to another student at the table, and she started putting servings of various food items on a paper plate.

"Wow, she's not afraid to show an appetite," observed Eren as the girl filled her plate with barbecued wings, some sausage and a couple of generous spoonfuls from the bowl she'd brought.

"Nope, and that's what I like about her." Connie grinned. "God, she's cute as fuck. I've seen her put away sauced wings like a champ, with no apology. She gets the sauce all over her face but she doesn't even care, she just goes on eating and talking and having a good time. That's my kind of girl. No salad pickers for me."

"How does she stay fit?" wondered Armin, blinking as the girl started chowing down in the corner of the common room.

"Holy shit, did she just suck the marrow from the bone?" Eren was also amazed. He'd never seen a girl eat like that before, at least not one as obviously athletically fit as this one. There was something oddly fascinating about watching her eat. She wasn't a total slob about it; she licked her fingers and lips clean between bites, consumed with quick, almost predatory efficiency and even wiped her face with a napkin after finishing the wings. Eren almost wondered if she was part cougar.

"Like I said, she eats what she likes and she doesn't make apologies for it." Connie sighed as the girl started digging into the substance from the bowl she'd brought with a plastic spoon. "Potato salad. I should have known. Potatoes are like her favorite food next to meat."

"Sounds like you know a lot about her," remarked Eren. He downed the rest of his drink. "What's her name?"

"Blouse," answered Connie. "Sasha Blouse. I wish I was that salad she's eating right now."

Armin snickered softly. "So you want to be eaten alive by her? How could you date her, then?"

Connie nudged him with a grin. "Good to see you've got _some_ sense of humor, Arlert. You know what I meant."

"Yes, I know what you meant. So why not go and talk to her? You seem to know her fairly well."

Connie drank some beer from his cup, eyeballing the young woman of his interest. "Yeah," he said at last, wiping his mouth. "I think I will. It's a social setting, right?"

"Right," agreed Eren. "Go for it."

As he watched Connie down the rest of his beer and go to take his advice, Eren felt like a complete hypocrite. Who the hell was he to give advice about "going for it"? He was just as infatuated with someone as Connie, and he'd seen the subject of his desire in the nude more than once now.

"Shit," muttered Eren as the memory of his most recent art class came back to haunt him. Levi had modeled again for them so that the students could complete the sketch they'd started on the first day of art class. That certainly hadn't helped to quell Eren's lust.

"What's the matter?" Armin asked him, tearing his attention away from watching his new friend interact with the girl named Sasha.

"Just wondering where Mikasa went off to," excused Eren. Now that he'd said that on impulse, he really _was_ starting to worry a little about her. "I'm going to go refresh my drink, but we should split up and look around for her just in case."

"I'm sure she can take care of herself, Eren."

"I'm sure you're right, but all it takes is a second for someone to slip something into her drink. Not even Mikasa can take care of herself if she's passed out."

"Oh. That's a valid point. I'll start looking upstairs in the west hall, then."

Eren nodded. "I'll try the east side of the building. We can text each other if one of us finds her so we're not doing a scavenger hunt all night long."

* * *

Eren eventually did find Mikasa in one of the first floor social rooms. She was sitting on a couch beside Jean Kerstein, and they were deep in conversation. Eren scowled from the threshold at the guy. He didn't really have much cause to dislike him, except that his impression of him so far was that Jean was cocky, arrogant and that smirk of his made Eren want to punch him. His friend Marco was all right, and Eren noticed that he was there too. Marco was seated in a chair next to the couch Mikasa and Jean were on, and he'd joined in on their conversation. At least they weren't alone together, and that eased Eren's mind a little.

Deciding he would be better off not intruding, Eren left the scene. He turned the corner in the hallway and he tried calling Armin to let him know he'd found their elusive friend. When he got his voicemail, Eren sighed and hung up. He sent him a text instead, and then he started making his way back downstairs. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Armin up ahead of him in the hallway, speaking to a short girl with her blonde hair gathered and folded into a clip. She was cute, Eren supposed, but he wasn't a very good judge of female appeal.

_~Well, damn. It looks like he's really into the conversation they're having. I'd better not interrupt. For all I know, this could be his first chance in his life to get laid.~_

Eren had never asked his friend about his sexual status, but Armin gave him the impression that he was definitely a virgin. The guy was so pure, Eren couldn't even begin to imagine him getting down and dirty with anyone. Maybe that was an unfair assumption to make, though. Just because Armin was a bit of an introvert didn't mean he never saw any action. He seemed to be doing just fine talking to the blonde girl. In fact, as Eren watched, she smirked at something Armin said to her.

_~Way to go, buddy. Maybe tonight it'll be your sock on the door.~_

They'd agreed to signal each other when and if either of them ever brought home company and needed some private time. Tying a sock around the outside doorknob of their dorm was a discreet way to go about it. Eren hadn't really taken it seriously, because Armin wasn't the sort to pick up random hook-ups. He'd expected himself to be the first one to bring a date home, but it looked like Armin was getting a step ahead of him.

Eren downed the rest of his drink, and he took the stairs down to the first floor to get a refill. He decided to try a shot of Jagermeister out of curiosity, having seen both Mikasa and Levi drinking it. He chatted with Reiner for a little bit, having discovered that the big guy was also on the wrestling team.

"So what made you decide to join the team?" Reiner asked.

Eren shrugged, and he took a swallow of his fresh drink. "I like to be active. I like physical challenges, so I thought the wrestling team would be a good choice."

"You might change your mind by the end of the first season," warned Reiner with a smirk. "I saw you in the ring yesterday though. Looks like you're pretty good at holding your own."

"I try." Eren was starting to feel a little buzzed, and he glanced down at the drink in his hand thoughtfully. "Maybe this should be my last one for the night."

Someone came up beside him at the table, and Eren gave a start when a low, sensual voice spoke into his ear. "A Jaeger drinking Jager. How poetic."

Eren turned to stare down at Levi Ackerman, and his power of speech lodged in his throat. The raven-haired male was watching him with those bedroom eyes of his, and Eren found himself wondering what kind of face he would make when he was coming.

"Uh, excuse me?" he finally said stupidly.

Levi nodded at the glass in Eren's hand. "You changed your poison. So what do you think of it?"

Finally catching on to the pun, Eren glanced down at the half-empty shot glass. "Oh. It's kind of mediciney. Tastes like cough syrup to me."

"Tch. It's not for everyone. You seem a little unsteady on your feet. How about some fresh air?"

Eren admitted to himself that Levi's observation wasn't wrong. He definitely wasn't used to Jagermeister, and it seemed to have hit him a lot harder than the previous drinks he'd had. He set down the shot glass on the table before Reiner, and he addressed the muscular blond.

"Sorry, I don't think I can finish it."

Reiner shrugged. "Don't sweat it. Better for you to cut yourself off than end up face-down in the toilet for the rest of the night."

"Exactly," agreed Eren. Besides, hanging out with Levi was better than getting shit-faced. He could hardly believe the guy had approached him with the suggestion. He turned to Levi, and he swallowed nervously. Not even the alcohol he'd consumed could dull the thrill he felt. "Some fresh air would be great."

"All right. Let's go upstairs."

Eren tilted his head, puzzled. "Upstairs?"

"Yeah." Levi nodded. "We could go out on the balcony for a while. It'll be less noisy and we'll get a better breeze. Plus we can see the lightning better."

"The lightning?" Eren felt like a complete dumbass, but Levi was apparently in a charitable mood and let it pass.

"Yeah. There's a storm coming in, Jaeger. It's quite a show."

"Oh." Eren hadn't checked the weather before going out, and he had no idea there was rain in the forecast.

"Scared of getting wet?" challenged Levi with a smirk. "Don't worry; we've got some time before the skies open up. Come on."

Eren nodded, and he came damned close to grabbing Levi's hand by impulse. He caught himself before making the move, silently swearing at his own foolishness. Levi was just offering to hang with him for a little while, not giving an invitation to go on a date. Eren followed the smaller male to the stairs, and they passed by Armin and his petite blonde companion on the way.

"Eren, did you find Mikasa?"

Eren nodded. "Yeah, and I texted you but you were...busy." Eren hid a smile, glancing subtly at the girl Armin was socializing with.

"Oh. Right."

Armin blushed, and he gestured at the girl. She had a bored look about her, but Eren got the distinct impression that her hooded blue gaze was taking everything in. She had a mannerism about her that reminded him vaguely of Levi's.

"Eren, this is Annie Leonhart," introduced Armin. "She's actually Mikasa's room mate. Isn't that a coincidence? I had no idea. I was asking around to see if anyone had seen Mika and I crossed paths with Annie here. We started talking and..."

Eren fought back laughter as Armin kept going on as if he owed an explanation. "It's cool, Armin. Mikasa's hanging out with a couple of people and she's fine. Me and Levi are just going to get a little fresh air. Have fun."

Armin's blue gaze flicked between Eren and Levi, and Eren saw the comprehension in his gaze. Armin was very much aware of his attraction to Mikasa's cousin, but thankfully he didn't comment on it. "You too."

Eren was faintly grateful to end the exchange, and he resumed his trajectory with Levi. They climbed the stairs and Levi led him down a hallway, peeking into various rooms until he found one with balcony access that wasn't already occupied.

"Perfect," stated Levi. "Let's go."

Eren nodded agreeably, and he swore when he banged his knee on a coffee table whilst crossing the room with his companion.

"Careful," Levi warned. "It's dark in here."

"Yeah." Eren blinked as a flash of lightning from outside illuminated the room. It backlit Levi's form dramatically, and he took a deep breath. God, he wanted to touch the guy...wanted to crush his mouth against Levi's and kiss him until his knees buckled. This sort of attraction was dangerous, Eren realized. It sapped all common sense from him and left him with little more than primal instinct.

Levi turned away from him and opened the double doors to the balcony. A damp gust of wind blew in, stirring the alumnus' black hair. Levi glanced over his shoulder at Eren, and the pose he was in reminded the freshman of some kind of superhero standing atop a vanquished enemy.

"Coming?" Levi called.

Eren felt a need to reach down and re-adjust his junk in his jeans. That one simple question from Levi sent his mind careening into inappropriate places, and he was starting to swell down there. "Um, yeah. I'm...coming."

* * *

_~Well, I got him alone. Now what am I supposed to do with him?~_

The question nagging at Levi's brain wasn't something he would normally ask himself. He was generally confident in his intentions. Once he was sure another party was interested, he rarely hesitated to act. Something about Eren Jaeger made him hesitant, though. He'd been telling himself that it was because Eren was a student and there were certain risks in pursuing him that he and Erwin hadn't faced in the past with other prospects.

Now that he stood beside the gorgeous freshman, Levi had to revise his theory. The risks of repercussion wasn't what was holding him back, he realized. Levi had been here before, only the last time, he'd powered through it out of sheer desperation and just went for it. It was different then, though. He'd been in the position that Eren was in now, and he really didn't have much to lose by making a move on his instructor. Just as back then, his greatest fear was rejection.

_~I'm fucking nervous. I barely know this guy but he makes my pulse race every time he looks at me. The green-eyed bastard's got me by the balls, just like Erwin always has.~_

"Wow," Eren remarked softly. He folded his arms over the balcony railing and bent over a little. "You're right; it's quite a show."

"Yeah." Levi forced his gaze off of Eren to look at the overcast skies and the lightning dancing from cloud to cloud. "Flashy."

Another gust of wind came in from the east, unusually chilly. Obviously there was a cold front moving in. Levi wasn't usually sensitive to temperature changes, but his heightened state of urgency made him more vulnerable to it. He was wearing a long-sleeved black shirt, but it was of thin material and it didn't do much to ward off the damp cold. He shivered, his nipples tightening further under the assault.

"Are you cold?" Eren was looking at him with slightly hedged brows, evidently noticing Levi's slight shiver.

"It's fine," Levi assured him, though he folded his arms over his chest to at least attempt to protect his sensitive nips.

Eren bit his lip, and then he reached down to untie the sleeves of the jacket he was wearing around his waist. "Here. I brought it just in case the temperature dropped tonight."

"You don't have to—"

"It's all right." Eren gave him a charmingly shy smile, and he draped the jacket over Levi's shoulders. "My body heat runs hot, so I don't usually get cold. I mostly brought it for Armin in case he got chilly, but you can borrow it."

Levi accepted the offering, sliding his arms through the sleeves while holding Eren's gaze. He wasn't deliberately trying to stare him down; it was just in his nature to look people in the eye. He'd fallen into the habit at a young age, due to people constantly underestimating him based on his small stature. Levi had discovered that his gaze tended to intimidate people, and he started using that to his advantage out of survival instinct.

"Thanks," he murmured.

A bright flash of lightning flickered overhead, followed by a rolling boom of thunder. It highlighted Eren's tanned features and those beautiful emerald eyes of his. Levi stared harder at him, hoping to convey with his eyes that he wanted more from Eren than an outer garment for warmth. Eren paused, staring back at him. Evidently he was too thick to catch Levi's hidden message, or perhaps he'd drank a little too much and therefore couldn't pick up on it. He looked away uncertainly, and Levi heaved a sigh of annoyance.

"You really didn't see it, did you?"

Eren met his gaze again, frowning a little. "See what?"

Levi checked another sigh. Fuck, had he completely misread the guy? Maybe his gaydar was off. There was one way to find out for sure, and to hell with his original plan to let Eren make the first move. Levi reached up, cupped the back of the other man's head and drew him closer.

"You're an idiot, do you know that?" Levi breathed seconds before their lips touched, and then their mouths were connected. Eren stiffened at first, spiking Levi's concern that he'd misunderstood him. Before he could stress much over it, Eren's mouth became fiercely animated against his. Levi gasped through his nose as the taller male's tongue plunged into his mouth, and the next thing he knew, Eren's hands were on his ass, squeezing the cheeks and pulling him tighter against him.

"Mmm," hummed Levi, sucking on Eren's probing tongue. A low growl was Eren's response, and then Levi felt the balcony railing pressing against his lower back. He was lifted up, and then he was sitting on the railing with Eren's hips wedged tightly between his thighs.

All of Levi's concerns were laid to rest. His body heated up, his tongue flicked against Eren's and he embraced the younger man. Levi spread his thighs, aching for further contact. Eren grinded against him in concordance. Levi could feel how hard he was already, and his own groin throbbed in sympathy. He swelled further, and his teeth scraped against Eren's as the kiss became more passionate. He couldn't breath. While Eren's kissing technique was somewhat sloppy compared to Erwin, the raw hunger in it was a huge turn on.

Eren's fingers slid through Levi's hair, and Levi winced when they curled and tugged on it. It wasn't really painful so much as surprising. Eren wasn't using much force...just enough to encourage Levi to tilt his head back further. He did so, and he stifled a moan as the other man's lips traveled from his mouth to his throat. A fat drop of rain water struck Levi's upturned face, followed by another. The sky was finally making good on its promise of weather, but Levi chose to ignore it. This was his moment. This was the opportunity he'd been waiting for, and he wasn't about to let nature cock-block him.

Of course, he couldn't let it go too far. His goal had been to determine beyond a doubt that Eren was interested in him. Having achieved that, he needed to move on to the next step. He procrastinated on that because the kiss was so damned hot, he was loathe to end it. He felt Eren's hand starting to burrow up under his shirt, and Levi rocked his hips to rub against him, gasping hotly. Eren's lips moved against his throat, and his voice was almost guttural with want as he spoke.

"My god, you're sexy. I wasn't expecting this."

Levi hadn't really been expecting it either. He'd anticipated teasing Eren into giving him a shy, awkward kiss. He'd had no idea the man would be so aggressive. He'd seen Eren's clumsy side, but this was a surprise for him. The rain began to fall faster and harder, wetting their hair and clothing.

"Hold up," gasped Levi regretfully. "It's coming down pretty hard, and I need to tell you something before this gets too heated."

Eren pulled back to look at him, breathing heavily. His eyes had taken on that golden hue again. "You're seeing someone, aren't you? Of course you are." He heaved a bitter chuckle and shook his head. "Someone as hot as you couldn't possibly be single."

One dark brow went up as Levi absorbed Eren's astute guess. The kid was sharper than he'd given him credit for. "Well yeah, but it's complicated. Let's go inside and I'll explain. We're gonna get soaked if we keep making out here."

Eren sighed, and he nodded. Levi pulled the borrowed jacket more tightly around his body, and he hopped down from the railing once the other man backed up to give him some room. Seeing the disappointment in Eren's face, Levi took one of his hands and urged him to come with him.

"It's not what you think," he said to him. "Just hear me out before you jump to conclusions."

Now looking more curious than upset, Eren allowed the smaller man to guide him back through the balcony doors and into the room they'd passed through.

* * *

Eren didn't know what to think. After sitting down on the loveseat inside with Levi and hearing him explain the relationship he was in, he was more confused than ever. Finding out that the other party involved happened to be Mr. Smith only made his mind swirl worse.

"So...you're dating Professor Smith?"

"Instructor," corrected Levi. "I know it's the default to fall back on that title, but he's really not a professor. Yeah, we've been together for a while. Like I said; ours is an open relationship. We're polyamorous."

"So you both date other people," reasoned Eren, trying to wrap his head around it. "How does that work? Don't you ever have jealousy problems?"

"No." Levi relaxed against the back of the couch, and he stared at the window and the rain pelting it from outside. "Erwin and I have an agreement. We're honest with each other and we do everything as partners. If one of us doesn't approve of a choice in other partners, we put an end to it before it gets serious."

"And you think he would approve of me?" Eren swallowed, picturing the handsome, tall blond in his thoughts. "He really wouldn't mind if you told him we made out together?"

"No, he wouldn't," assured Levi. "In fact, he likes you too. Listen to me though, Eren. I'm telling you this so that you'll have full disclosure. If you don't think it's something you can handle, say the word and I'll never touch you again. I'm sharing this information with you on good faith. I wasn't even going to make a move on you tonight, but you weren't taking the hint so I decided to take a chance. Erwin won't lay a single finger on you unless you give clear consent to it. I don't want you entertaining thoughts of reporting him—"

"I wouldn't do that," objected Eren.

"That's good to know." Levi was gazing at him with total seriousness, "because if I thought for a second that my interest in you could get him into trouble, I'd kick your ass and then my own."

Eren smiled a little nervously. "I don't doubt that. I'm just not sure what to do with all this. I really, really like you and Mr. Smith is really gorgeous. I've never been in this kind of situation before, though."

"You're used to monogamy," guessed Levi. "That's okay. I didn't really expect anything different. I wanted to see how you felt about me first. I know it's a lot to absorb, so you can take your time thinking on it. One thing you should know about me, Eren, is that I don't lie. If you want to be with me, you've got to accept that it's a package deal. If that isn't for you then that kiss we just shared will have to be our last. Understand?"

Eren swallowed and nodded. He was torn. He wanted this guy so bad, and he'd admittedly fantasized about Erwin too. He could hardly believe that those fantasies were in fact a reality. He'd just been thinking the other day that Levi and Erwin looked good together, and he'd pictured them being intimate. Finding out that they were really in a relationship was a shock to his system.

"What kind of things do you do together?" Eren asked carefully. "I mean, do you just pick other people up and ask each other if it's okay? How many people are you dating?"

"It isn't like that," explained Levi. "We don't go around screwing random people on a whim, Eren. Essentially, we're looking for a third party to share between us. We don't have big orgies and we don't have a big list of people we fuck. To break it down to its simplest definition, Erwin and I prefer threesomes. Anything more than that makes things too complicated."

"So you want me to be your...uh...third person?"

Levi nodded. "If you're interested. Like I said; you should take time to think it over. Don't make a hasty decision. If you decide you want to give it a shot, we can start seeing each other and get to know each other better. Much as I'd like to ride your dick right now, I'm not going to sleep with you until I know the arrangement has a good chance of working. What do you think?"

Eren considered the smaller man, letting his gaze rove over Levi from head to toe. "I think I want you too bad to turn down your offer, but I don't know how good I would be in a relationship like that. I've been pretty vanilla in most of my relationships. Do you guys...uh...have kinks or anything?"

Levi smirked. "I like bondage and submission, if that's what you mean."

Eren gulped. "Oh. You mean you like to be tied up, or do you like being the one in charge?"

"Both, but most of the time it's the former of the two." Levi shrugged, and he placed a hand on Eren's knee. He leaned in closer to the other male, and he lowered his voice to that sensual drone that made Eren's pulse race. "Would you like to tie me up sometime, Eren?"

A shudder went through Eren, and his skin prickled with goosebumps at the feel of Levi's warm breath tickling his ear. At the same time, he flushed deeply and he didn't know how to verbally respond to that question without coming off as an idiot. His only viable choice, it seemed, was in just being honest.

"Yeah. I'd like that."

"Hmm. I had a feeling." Levi nuzzled his ear, kissed the side of his neck and then backed off. The alumnus crossed his legs and shifted a little, but not before Eren caught sight of the boner he was sporting in his gray slacks. "Well, you may get your chance before long."

Eren was undoubtedly intrigued. "How would this work? You and I start going out on dates, and then me and Erwin? Or would we all go out on a date together?"

Levi shrugged. "It varies according to schedule and circumstance. The last time we tried to bring a third partner into our relationship, it didn't work out as hoped. Sometimes it will be just you and I. Sometimes Erwin will be there. I'm sure Erwin will want to have a private date or two with you himself. He gets a better feel for people when I'm not around to distract him. Do you think that's something you'd be comfortable enough with?"

"I guess I won't know until I try," sighed Eren. "I'm just worried it'll feel like I'm cheating. I've never had more than one boyfriend at a time."

Levi smirked. "It's not cheating if we both know about each other, Eren. In case you're wondering, Erwin already knows I was planning to entice you. In fact, it was his idea for me to be the one to approach you rather than him."

"Oh?" The revelation made Eren feel a little more confident. "Why's that?"

Levi glanced away. "Because he wanted me to be sure I want you before he even considered moving in on you. Usually it's Erwin who sets these things up, but since I've had trouble connecting with his previous choices, he thought it would be better for me to do it this time. Bear it in mind that this isn't a total pass, kid. We still need to get to know each other before I'm satisfied that the chemistry between us is real. Once that's confirmed, Erwin will get involved and we'll move on from there. That is, of course, if you decide you want to go through with this."

"I do," Eren stated impulsively, sure of it now. It was exciting and a little scary, and he didn't know if they could make it work, but Eren knew that if he didn't at least try he might regret it for the rest of his life. This was, after all, an experimental period in his life. He was learning new things about himself each day. Maybe the reason his previous relationships didn't last was because he wasn't meant for just one lover.

"All right then," Levi said. "Let's exchange phone numbers. I'll give you a call in a few days after you've had time to think on it some more. If you're still interested, we'll plan a date. If not, I won't bother you any more."

Eren could have told him that he wasn't bothering him in the slightest, but he understood Levi's meaning well enough. The guy was playing it cautious. Levi treated it almost like a business arrangement, and Eren realized how serious he took it. Consent was very important to Levi, and that was kind of refreshing to know.

"Okay." Eren got out his phone. "Can you give me your number so I can text you? That way you can just save mine to your contact list."

Levi nodded, and he got out his phone to comply. Once they exchanged the numbers, he put his phone away and leaned in again. "I'd better get going before I do something stupid like make out with you again and things get out of hand. Before I leave though, here's some incentive and a reminder of what you could get out of this."

Eren didn't get the chance to ask what he meant before Levi's mouth connected with his again. The smaller man gave him a lingering, deep kiss that was practically pornographic in its intensity. By the time they broke away again, Eren was fully erect again and panting softly. In a similar state himself, Levi got up off the couch, cast one last, lingering stare full of promise at Eren, and he excused himself.

Left alone in the darkened room, Eren Jaeger took a deep breath and collapsed onto his side. He supposed he could excuse his daring decision on social experimentation. That was what he thought Armin would say, anyway. He'd enrolled more to challenge himself and try new things than with a specific academic goal in mind. Eren had his doubts that this arrangement would work out permanently, but he was definitely going to get some new insights out of it all the same.

A frown tugged at his lips as he considered one other problem: if he did get into a three-way with Levi and Erwin, he wouldn't be able to talk to anyone about it. Levi had made it clear that he was protective of Erwin and the instructor was taking a risk in agreeing to this arrangement. He couldn't tell his friends. He would have to sneak around all the time if he wanted to be in on this. Even if he weren't a student, Eren was sure that if people found out Erwin Smith was in a poly relationship with two younger men it would destroy his career. Levi he might be able to date more openly, but Erwin was another matter.

"This is going to be complicated," he mused out loud. Yes, complicated, but definitely worth a try. It was then that he realized Levi hadn't given his jacket back, but at this point Eren didn't really care.

* * *

-To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hadn't originally intended to put Sasha and Connie in this story, but after recent manga chapters I just had to. I hope this chapter was enjoyable!


	4. Chapter 4: First Date

Eren was stone cold sober by the time he and his friends retired from the party and went back to their dorm rooms. The encounter with Levi had sobered him up fast, and he couldn't stop thinking about it. He had several wet dreams that night...or perhaps it was just one long one that kept switching scenarios. Either way, he eventually had to go into the bathroom to take care of his arousal without disturbing Armin.

The next day proved to be a challenge for him. So many times he got his phone out and stared at Levi's number, wanting to call him just to hear his voice. He got to see Erwin for two hours in total because he had both of his classes with him. Now that he was aware the blond man had plans for him, Eren had little doubt in his mind that the moments Erwin's eyes locked with his during class weren't just coincidence. The man definitely looked at him differently than the way he looked at his other students, and Eren spent half his time blushing during his lectures.

Somehow he got through the day, and Eren didn't hear from or see Levi at all. He suffered it in silence, because Levi had already informed him that he was going to back off for a few days to let him think things over. It seemed the guy was avoiding him completely, which only lent more credence to Levi's insistence to give him space and time.

A couple of days later, Eren had his art class again and this time Erwin told everyone to draw a subject of their own choosing.

"It can be anything you want," he said. "This lesson plan is about free thinking and exercising your imaginations. You can use references if you choose, but I'm also encouraging you to draw free hand. Picture something in your mind and try to create it on paper. Don't be discouraged if you find it difficult; I'm sure most of you are used to using tools or references. You aren't being graded on quality today, so relax, take your time and go with your imagination."

Eren had no idea where to start. He sat at his desk staring down at the drawing table, chewing on the end of his graphite pencil and trying to come up with an idea. Beside him, Jean Kirstein was already scribbling away at his desk. Eren leaned over a little to peek at what the guy was sketching, hoping to get an idea from his example. He froze when he recognized the face taking form under Jean's busy pencil.

_~Great. He's drawing Mikasa. So much for my hopes that something isn't growing between them. It's none of my business. If they like each other, they like each other. I've got to get over it.~_

It wasn't easy for him to follow his own advice. Eren and Mikasa had always looked out for each other; sometimes her moreso than him. She'd grilled some of Eren's previous love interests before, same as he did with hers. This was the first time Eren had experienced such immediate dislike toward anyone interested in Mikasa, though. He couldn't even say what it was that irritated him so much about Jean, other than his arrogance. He'd seen the way the guy acted with Mikasa, and he had to admit Jean was respectful toward her.

With a little sigh, Eren returned his attention to his own task. How could he judge when he was thinking of getting into a sexual relationship with two guys at the same time—one of them almost twice his age? At least Levi was Mikasa's cousin, so she wasn't likely to disapprove of him. Erwin was a different story, though. Eren could imagine Mika's reaction to finding out he was involved with the instructor.

_~Double the reason to be careful. She would probably flip out and try to report him. What am I getting myself into?~_

The answer was simple, though. He was getting into something new, thrilling and probably on the dangerous side. Eren liked a little danger in his life, though. He always had. Maybe that was a big part of the proposal's appeal to him. He glanced up at the head of the classroom. Erwin was seated at his desk, reading over some paperwork while the students did their assignments. He looked so refined and gorgeous, like a movie star or something. The glasses didn't make him look nerdy at all. They just made Erwin seem more sophisticated. To think he was the sort of guy that liked to tie up his boyfriend and dominate him now and then.

Eren started to draw, hardly aware of what he was doing. He tried not to let his imagination run wild, tried to think of anything else, but he couldn't stop picturing Levi tied up with Erwin looming over him. Maybe the blond would run his hands over Levi's body, teasing him while he lay helpless and at his mercy. Eren wondered if they ever practiced spank kink. He could easily picture Erwin's big hand smacking Levi's cute little ass until it was blushing red.

A sketch manifested beneath Eren's hands, and before he knew it, he'd gone from conception to completion. He stared down at his own work with a bit of shock once he finished it, and a shadow fell over him. Eren looked up to see Erwin standing by his desk, looking down at his work with interest.

"Nice detail," complimented Erwin.

Eren was horrified. He'd drawn a pair of hands tied together at the wrists. He could just imagine what the instructor must be thinking. "Um...thanks."

Erwin's blue gaze met his, opaque and unreadable. "Hands are difficult to draw even for seasoned artists. Is there some symbolism here, or am I off base?"

_~Oh yeah, there's symbolism.~_

Aloud, Eren said: "I guess so. Sometimes I feel like my hands are tied." It was, he thought, a perfectly acceptable interpretation.

"Art is subjective." Erwin smiled, his eyes warming on the younger man. "That being said, I can understand why you would say that. The first year is always the most difficult. Many students start out feeling overwhelmed, but you'll find your way eventually."

Erwin patted Eren on the shoulder before moving on. He surveyed Jean's work next. "Very nice, Mr. Kirstein. You've captured her likeness so well that it could almost be a black and white photo, rather than a drawing. Someone special to you, I take it?"

For once, Jean wasn't cocky. "Uh, she's just a girl I know."

"I see."

Eren could see recognition in the instructor's eyes as he gazed down at the sketch of Mikasa. He surely knew who she was, considering he was banging her cousin. He said nothing more to Jean about it, and he moved on to the next student. While he listened to Erwin's deep voice giving both praise and constrictive critique, Eren stared down at his drawing contemplatively.

Was it Levi's hands in the sketch, or his own? Now he wasn't so sure.

* * *

Eren shouldn't have worried that Levi might be changing his mind. In fact, he wasn't the only one suffering feelings of impatient frustration. Levi was anxious to get the ball rolling, and he'd nearly called Eren up several times before he was supposed to. He'd vowed to give him at least three days to think things through, however. If he got too pushy, it might scare the guy away.

Finally it was Erwin that encouraged him to make the call sooner than planned. The couple were lying in bed together after enjoying some private time that they'd both sorely missed. Erwin was stroking Levi's back, calming him after some intense disciplinary sex. This time he'd used toys on him, inserting a vibrating butt plug and insisting on Levi keeping it in while giving him a blow job. Levi was still tingling from the experience, sweaty and shaken due to delayed orgasm. The cock ring Erwin had used on him was now lying on a paper towel on top of the bedside table, along with the plug he'd had up his ass.

"Have you made your date arrangements yet?" Erwin murmured against Levi's hair, lying beneath the spent younger male.

Levi shook his head. "Not yet. I was going to wait until tomorrow. I figured a Sunday date during the daytime might be the way to go for the first one."

"Or are you just procrastinating?"

Levi felt his lover's mouth curve into a smile against his forehead, and he lifted up to peer at the blond. "What, you think I'm afraid?"

Erwin combed his fingers through Levi's slightly damp hair, gazing back at him calmly. "I think it's been a long time since you've taken the initiative in the dating game. It's perfectly natural for you to feel some hesitation, Levi. Usually you're the one being pursued, not the other way around."

"Tch. Not when it came to you," Levi pointed out. "If I could get you, I can get Eren. I just don't want to come on too strong."

"Again, I say you're hesitating because you're used to me taking care of these things," insisted Erwin.

Levi sighed. He rolled off of the blond and onto his side to prop himself up on one elbow. He traced patterns over Erwin's broad chest with his fingertips, feeling the crisp hairs tickling his skin. He loved Erwin's chest. Levi wasn't into super hairy guys, but Erwin had just the right amount of body hair in a nice pattern. Golden blond like the hair on his head, the chest hair wasn't extensive.

"What if he's changed his mind and turns me down?"

Erwin cocked his head a little. He tucked some loose strands of bangs behind Levi's right ear. "So it's rejection you're afraid of. I don't think he will."

"How do you know?" demanded Levi. "You only talk to the guy when you're teaching him."

Erwin smirked mysteriously. "Gut feeling. I would be extremely shocked if Eren rejects your offer. However if you don't make it soon, he may get the impression you've lost interest. I say you should call him right now and set up that first date. Strike while the iron is hot, hmm?"

Levi dropped his gaze. "You really think I should?"

"Of course. You want him, don't you?"

Levi met Erwin's gaze again. "It's kind of late."

Erwin glanced at the alarm clock. "It's only going on ten. Eren is a college student; he'll be awake."

"I guess."

Erwin cupped his chin, urging him to lock eyes with him. "Levi, are you having doubts about this? If you are, now is the time to say something."

"No, I still want to do this," assured Levi. "I just don't want to make any mistakes."

"If Eren Jaeger changes his mind, it won't be because you did anything wrong," Erwin told him firmly. "You approached him with tact, you gave him full disclosure and you gave him time to think it over. I think you handled the situation perfectly. You need closure, love. I can see it's been eating at you, this wondering whether he's going to comply with your offer or not. Get your confirmation so that you can sleep better. That's an order."

"What are you, my general?" Levi poked Erwin in the side. "I'll call him when I'm ready. Let me enjoy the fucking afterglow for a few minutes first."

Erwin chuckled, but Levi didn't warm up to it. "You think this is a joke?"

Erwin shook his head. "Of course not. I'm just amused to see you so nervous about—"

"I'm not nervous," interrupted Levi crossly. "Caution isn't the same thing as fear or anxiety, idiot. Why are you so impatient about this?"

A thought crossed his mind, and Levi raised up a little more to study Erwin's face with greater care. "You're as into him as I am, aren't you? That's why you're being so pushy."

Erwin shrugged. "I'm very interested in seeing the two of you interact with each other in the bedroom, yes. He's a very attractive young man. As for whether he and I will have the chemistry you seem to share with him, that will be determined later."

"Hmm." Levi supposed he could accept that answer. After all, one of Erwin's favorite parts about having a threesome was in the voyeurism. "All right. I suppose you're not going to let this go until I call the guy and set up a date. You really are a perverted old man, you know that?"

"Say what you will." Erwin gave him a crooked smile, watching as Levi got out of the bed and went for his discarded pile of clothes. "Some people enjoy bird-watching. I enjoy Levi-watching."

Levi paused, looked down at his lover and felt the heat of Erwin's admiring gaze like it was a physical thing. He could snark the man all he wanted, but at the end of the day there was nothing as thrilling to Levi as the way Erwin looked at him. He parted his lips, couldn't think of a witty response and shook his head in defeat.

He didn't bother covering up his nudity as he retrieved his phone and walked back over to the bed with it. Levi didn't do shy; especially not in front of someone he was banging. He looked up Eren's contact number, mentally fortified himself and dialed it. Inwardly, he hoped Erwin was right about Eren and this call wouldn't end in disappointment.

* * *

"Wha? Huh?"

Eren had fallen asleep with one of his text books lying open and face-down on his chest. He'd made it a point to do some studying before bed; particularly on the subject of bio chemistry. He was having a harder time following that class than the others, and while Armin helped him out when he could, Eren didn't want to rely too much on his friend's brain to get a passing grade. The sound of his phone going off rudely nudged him out of his doze, and he felt around for it, knowing it wouldn't be very far. He picked it up and squinted at the caller ID on the screen. His heart stopped beating for a second, only to resume pounding again at a rapid pace.

Eren sat straight up and brought the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

"Oi, Jaeger. It's Levi."

Eren moistened suddenly dry lips with his tongue. "Hi."

"Did I catch you asleep, or what?"

Eren shook his head. "No. Well, not really." He glanced across the room at Armin's bed, seeing the lump shape of his friend snoozing away in it. Eren got up and prudently went into the bathroom, lowering his voice so as not to wake Armin. "What's up? I was wondering if you were ever going to call."

"I told you I would, didn't I? Anyway, I was going to wait for tomorrow, but I think enough time has passed." Levi's tone changed. It sounded a little tighter as he spoke again. "Have you thought about things? Do you know what you want to do?"

The question didn't even bear any consideration for Eren. Not anymore. "Yes. I want to see you. I want to give this a shot."

Levi's voice relaxed and softened. "Good. What's your schedule like tomorrow? Do you have time to meet up with me for a couple of hours after classes?"

"Sure." Even if he hadn't, Eren would have _made_ time for the opportunity. "Where do you want to meet up at?"

"How about my dorm room, say eight o'clock? We could put on a movie or something. That shouldn't keep you up too late."

Eren was a little surprised to have Levi invite him over to his room so quickly, but then again, he hadn't expected the guy to kiss him at the party that night either. One couldn't accuse Levi of being shy or timid, that was for certain. "That sounds great. Do you like pizza? I could order us a pizza to go with the movie."

Levi took a moment to answer. "Ah, sure. Just order half of it with no cheese and light on the sauce."

"Are you on a diet?" Eren smiled. "You don't need it."

"Just making sure it stays that way," excused Levi.

"Got it." Eren left the bathroom to retrieve the notebook lying on his bed next to his textbook, and he scribbled the instructions down. He carried the pen and notebook into the bathroom with him before speaking again. "What about other toppings? If you don't get something on it, you might as well just be eating baked bread with a little sauce on it."

"I don't care what other toppings are on it, as long as you skip any pineapple, anchovies or jalapenos on my side."

Eren nodded. "Okay. How about a supreme, then?"

"Sounds good. What kind of movies do you like?"

"Martial arts, action and some horror as long as it's not that B-grade cheesy stuff."

"I think I can facilitate something to your taste," promised Levi. "Oh, and Eren...make sure you shave before you come over. It might not be a glamorous night on the town, but I like my dates cleaned up all the same. I don't want to get a rash from your stubble when we make out."

Eren's face got hot. While he definitely had hopes that they would fool around a little, he wasn't prepared to have Levi so forwardly proclaim it that way. "Uh, okay. What floor and room number?"

"Second floor, room 23. See you then. G'night."

Just like that, Levi ended the call before Eren could even wish him goodnight in return. Eren pulled the phone away from his ear to give it a stare. He'd never been approached for a date quite like this before. Usually he was the one to initiate them. He'd never met anyone quite like Levi, either. He wondered what other surprises the guy had in store for him.

* * *

"What was that?"

Levi put the phone on the bedside table and slipped under the covers next to Erwin. He gave the blond a curious look as he lay on his side facing him. "What was what?"

"Shave before you come over? You like your dates cleaned up?" Erwin deliberately rubbed a hand over the shadow of stubble on his jaw, lifting a brow meaningfully.

"Oh." Levi shrugged, and he too traced the pattern of Erwin's facial hair growth. "I'm not going to start this arrangement by giving Eren the idea he can slack off on hygiene. I have to get to know a guy before I can start appreciating the scruffy look on him. You ought to know that."

Erwin had honestly forgotten about Levi's clean shaven rule in the beginning of their relationship. It wasn't until after they became a solid item that he relaxed his rule and even encouraged Erwin at times to leave off the razor. Erwin suspected his lover had a secret attraction to a rougher look but Levi would never admit to such a thing. He always seemed to love mussing Erwin's hair up while they were making out or having sex. Levi also demonstrated sincere appreciation for Erwin's appearance when he was immaculately groomed and sharply dressed though, so perhaps Levi himself wasn't sure which he liked more.

Erwin smiled at him, and he traced the smaller man's covered hip. "I take it the date is set, then?"

"Yeah." Levi scooched closer to him, resting his head on Erwin's bent arm. "He says he'll be there. Don't get too excited, though. I'm trying to ease him into it and my move on him at the party was only the first step. Once Eren has full disclosure of how this is going to work, he might decide it's too much for him and bolt on us."

"At least you're trying to be forthwith." Erwin stole a kiss from the younger male. "However he feels when you've finished explaining it all to him, he won't be able to say you were dishonest."

Levi nodded, covering up a yawn. His lids drooped over his steely eyes, and he closed them. "Just hope this works out."

Erwin watched him quietly, simply enjoying the sight of him drifting off to sleep. Once Levi's breathing was deep and even, the blond stroked a lock of dark hair away from his lover's eyes. It wasn't that Levi wasn't enough for Erwin. If things went south with Eren and Levi no longer wished to pursue a poly relationship, Erwin was prepared to support that. He didn't want to see Levi trying to force himself to make a connection with a third party. If it didn't come naturally, it wasn't worth it.

Besides the versatile lifestyle of it, Erwin had other reasons behind his desire to bring a third partner into their relationship. Levi was an insomniac. Erwin knew the man didn't get nearly enough sleep when they weren't together. He'd had a rather tough life before they met. As independent and capable as Levi was, he didn't sleep well alone.

Erwin discovered Levi's insomnia problems within the first month of their relationship. Levi gave him a copy of his dorm room keys, and Erwin would sometimes come by on the pretext of dropping off an assignment to him. He'd discovered Levi passed out at his desk from sheer exhaustion so many times in those days. Other times, he would meet up with him discreetly for a date and immediately notice the dark circles rimming his eyes. It didn't take Erwin long to deduce that part of Levi's fondness for tea was in the caffeine contained in some of his favorite brews. It was what kept the poor thing going when another sleepless night threatened to inhibit his concentration on school work.

Levi stayed a couple of nights at Erwin's place before they got very serious, and Erwin swore the man was up and about until the break of dawn. Both times, he found Levi curled up on the couch in a half-stupor upon waking up, and he'd picked him up, carried him into the bedroom and demanded stayed with him until Levi finally fell completely asleep. That was when Erwin started to suspect his presence had some kind of soothing effect on the younger man, but it wasn't until they started having sex that he figured it out completely.

It wasn't just the fooling around that did it. Making out or exchanging oral wasn't the catalyst alone. The first time they'd had intercourse, Levi had slept fairly soundly for a good four hours afterwards. When they began venturing into the realm of BDSM together, the answer became even more apparent.

The first time Erwin restrained Levi and teased him to the point of screaming before finally taking him, Levi had shed tears for the first time in front of Erwin. It had been a horrifying moment, because Erwin thought he'd hurt his companion. Levi had assured him that wasn't the case, tried to explain the release he'd gotten out of it and then curled up against him trustingly while Erwin comforted him and praised him. Levi had slept like a baby for a full eight hours that night. He'd woken up rejuvenated, and he even smiled at Erwin for the first time since they'd met.

Levi needed that surrender to find inner peace. He was conditioned by the events of his life to be alert and on guard. That was the reason behind his sleep disorder, they'd discovered together. Unless he had someone he trusted with him, Levi simply couldn't fall into a natural state of sleep. His survival instincts, while keen, were also a detriment to him in this instance. The act of surrender during their encounters, of putting his trust completely in another, was what gave Levi the security he needed to relax.

Erwin supposed that to the average person it wouldn't make much sense. He didn't fully understand it himself, but he didn't really need to. What mattered to him was that Levi would always have someone to be there for him, even when Erwin himself couldn't be. That was the most important thing to Erwin Smith.

The blond finally closed his eyes and allowed himself to join his lover in sleep. He kept one arm protectively around Levi, his bigger frame curving around the alumnus instinctively.

* * *

The next day, Eren showered a couple of hours before his date, and he gave himself a close, careful shave as requested. He even went a little "metrosexual", as some guys put it, and plucked his eyebrows a little to tidy up stray hairs. Nothing extreme, just a few tweezes here and there. He blow-dried his hair after that, styling it with a comb.

There was no way he could achieve Erwin Smith's pristine level of grooming, but the least he could do was make sure his hair didn't look so shaggy. He put on a light, cream colored sweater and chose a pair of brown pants to go with it. Checking himself out in the mirror, he thought he passed basic inspection. Maybe he could have gone a little more casual, but the forecast said that another cold front was moving in and temperatures could drop in the 60's tonight.

The doorknob to the dorm room turned and clicked, and then Armin came in carrying a bag of groceries. Eren turned away from the full-length mirror to help his friend unload the produce. Armin noticed Eren's less-than-casual appearance, and he remarked on it as he filled the mini fridge.

"Do you have a date or something tonight?"

Eren grinned slightly, and he nodded. "Yeah. I won't be out late, though. I should be back before midnight and I'll try not to wake you up coming in."

"Don't worry about that," assured Armin. "I'll be up late studying, I suspect. I have my first exam in psychology coming up in a week, and I don't like to cram at the last minute. I'll just go to bed after you get home."

"Okay. You're probably going to be the most prepared person in your class." Eren put away some cereal, followed by some canned goods. "Thanks for taking care of the groceries this week."

"No worries." Armin glanced at him sidelong. "Aren't you going to tell me who you're going out with, or do I need to guess?"

Eren bit his lip, looking at the blond sidelong with an expression of excitement he couldn't contain.

"Levi," guessed Armin, smiling. "It's Levi, isn't it? He was with you at the party before we left."

"Yeah, it's Levi. We're not doing anything big; just watching a movie and ordering pizza. I guess he's got a dorm room all to himself, so he invited me to come over tonight and hang out with him."

"Well, good for you. I had a feeling you were clicking with each other. Now you don't have to worry about asking Mikasa questions about him, so that should take the pressure off a bit."

Eren wasn't so sure about that. Sure it meant he didn't have to bother Mikasa for information about Levi, but now there was a different kind of pressure that he didn't dare mention to anyone.

"So what about you and that girl Annie?" asked Eren, changing the subject. "You seemed to be hitting it off."

"I'm not so sure. I only got into a conversation with her because I was searching for Mikasa, and she happens to be her dorm mate. I don't think Annie and I have much in common, and I know she and Mikasa aren't quite partial to each other."

"Well, maybe you'll hit it off anyway." Eren shrugged. He got out his phone, double-checked to be sure he had Levi's building and room number right, and then looked up the nearest pizza delivery place to make his order.

"Hi, I want to make a delivery order, please. It'll be under Eren Jaeger. Yes, that's my number. I want your large pizza special. Make it a supreme with light sauce and no cheese on half of it. That's right. Uh, drinks? Yeah, go ahead and add a 2 liter lemon-lime soda, and could you please give us two cups and some napkins? Thanks. No, I'll pay over the phone with my debit card."

Eren made the payment, gave the address and left instructions that it would be on the second floor. Once he finished, he hung up the phone and took a deep breath. "Well, I'd better get going. Don't study too hard, Armin. I'll see you in a few hours if you're not asleep by the time I come back."

"Okay Eren. Good luck, and have fun."

* * *

Levi was just finishing setting up the plates and napkins when the second knock sounded at his door.

"Just a minute," he called.

He wiped his hands off impulsively, though he hadn't handled any food yet. Levi went to the door, opened it and stood dumb-stricken for a couple of seconds. That sweater Eren was wearing...and those _pants_. They hugged his body perfectly in all the right places. He wasn't sure if Eren meant to show off his physique when he dressed for their date, but he was glad for his choice of attire. Additionally, Eren's face was smoothly shaved as requested, and the scent of his aftershave was pleasantly clean and light. His hair was neatly combed, too.

"Well, look at you." Levi scanned him with his eyes appreciatively, boldly. "I didn't realize it was my birthday."

Eren's brows furrowed inquisitively. "Huh?"

Levi didn't allow the other male's confusion to throw him off. "I mean you, hot stuff. You may as well gift-wrapped yourself, showing up looking like that. Consider me impressed."

"Oh." Eren's facial pigment deepened with a blush. "Thanks. I tried."

"Nicely done," approved Levi. "The pizza's already here and I've set plates and napkins out. Let's dig in."

He turned and went to the kitchenette area, not bothering to see if Eren was following him because he already knew that he would. The guy was kind of like a puppy, Levi mused. Eager for positive attention and willing to do whatever it took to get it. Levi put a couple of slices of the pie on his plate, then moved aside to pour some of the soda over a glass of ice for himself. He covertly watched Eren do the same from the corner of his eye.

_~Damn. I didn't have plans to do more than make out with him tonight, but that idea might just go down the shitter.~_

Indeed, Levi had aspirations of taking things slowly at first, baiting the hook, so to speak. He didn't want to rush into things too fast because he truly liked Eren, and he wanted this to have every chance at working out. Once they both had their plates filled and their drinks, Levi directed Eren over to the couch and he turned on the television and the blue ray disc player.

"What are we watching?" Eren asked softly.

"It's a sci fi thriller," explained Levi. "It's about this pod these scientists find at a meteor crash site. The summary says they open it up and it unleashes some kind of alien plague on humanity. Sound interesting enough to you, or do you want me to look for something else?"

Eren shook his head. "No, that sounds cool." He took a bite of his pizza, appearing to savor the taste with a little sigh of gratification.

Levi smirked at him. "Let me guess: pizza is your favorite food."

Eren shrugged, swallowed and had a sip of his drink. "It's at the top of my list, yeah. What about you?"

"I think mine would be salmon. Especially if it's baked just right or grilled."

Eren smiled. "You don't like it in sushi form?"

Levi grimaced a little. I can eat it, but I'm not as into raw seafood as Erwin is. He's still trying to convince me to try oysters, but I flat-out refuse to eat anything that looks like a big slimy booger on a half shell."

Eren choked on laughter. "Okay, remind me never to take you to an oyster bar for a date."

"That would probably be wise." Levi smirked at him. He followed Eren's example and tried a bite of the pizza. It was good, he discovered. Better than the last pizza he'd had delivered. "Hmm, not bad. I've never had pizza from this place before."

Eren nodded, swallowing another bite before answering. "I always order from Tony's. The first time I tried their pizza, I was spoiled for any place else. I don't know if they just use fresher ingredients or what, but they rule."

Levi had to agree. "The place I usually order from tends to have really doughy pizza. I'll have to make a note to change my preference to this place from now on."

Levi started up the movie, and he inched a little closer to Eren as the beginning credits rolled. So far, so good. Now he just had to be careful about where he put his hands. He feared if he started touching the other male, he might lose his senses and end up doing him on the first date.

_~You'd think I'd have a little more self control than this. It's not like I didn't just get laid last night.~_

* * *

The movie Levi had picked out wasn't bad, Eren decided. Of course, he wasn't really paying close attention to it. His companion was a distraction for him. He kept watching Levi from the corner of his eye, admiring his profile. About a fourth of the way through the film, Eren nudged a little closer to Levi so that their bodies were touching. He dared to slide an arm around the smaller male's shoulders, and Levi compliantly snuggled up to him. It surprised Eren so much that he started grinning like an idiot. Levi hadn't given him the impression that he was a cuddly type, but the man continued to surprise Eren.

As the film went on, Eren took a few liberties. He nuzzled Levi's temple, he caressed his shoulder, he even went so far as to start rubbing his thigh with his free hand. By the time the end credits were rolling, the two of them were exchanging kisses that got more heated by the second. Before he knew it, Eren had urged Levi onto his back and he ended up on top of him with one thigh wedged between Levi's. Levi's warm, hot little mouth was eager and compliant. He started sucking on Eren's probing tongue in a decidedly suggestive manner, which made the freshman's libido rocket.

For how long they remained lip-locked like that, Eren couldn't guess. It didn't seem like nearly enough time, but eventually Levi broke the kiss, pulled Eren's hair enough to get him to back off and stared up at him with flashing gray eyes.

"Easy," gasped Levi, panting softly. "We're getting too worked up, hot stuff."

"Sorry," rasped Eren. He couldn't stop staring down at Levi, fixating on the flush of color in the man's high, pale cheekbones. "You're just so fucking hot."

"Back at you." Levi playfully nipped at Eren's throat, and then he pushed against his chest to silently direct him to lift up. "Trust me; I'm not having an easy time on damage control here."

Eren obligingly took his weight off the smaller man, and he sat up with a sigh. He combed his fingers through his mussed hair and glanced sideways at Levi. "You really are the most exciting person I've ever fooled around with, you know?"

"Heh. If you say so." Levi also sat up, and he rested his hands on his parted knees. He was visibly just as aroused as Eren, and he took a couple of slow breaths. "So how'd you like the movie?"

"It was good," Eren said mechanically.

Levi shot a knowing look his way, and Eren shrugged and flushed. "Okay, I wasn't really paying much attention to it. I admit it."

"Neither was I," admitted Levi dryly. "What do you want to do on the next date?"

Taken off guard by the question, it took Eren a moment to gather his thoughts. The _next_ date. There was going to be another one. His heart seemed to skip a beat at the thought. "Um, I'm not sure. I was so focused on making a good impression on this one that I hadn't thought about a second date."

"Well, what do you like to do?"

Eren looked the smaller male in the eyes, seeing the sincere curiosity in Levi's normally guarded expression. "Besides kissing you, you mean?"

Levi smirked. "We've got to do something besides that, you idiot. I'm going to break my own rule if we spend all of our time lip-locked."

Eren smiled, suddenly shy. Usually he just followed the other party's lead when it came to outings. It seemed easier that way—not because he had no clear idea of what he wanted, but because he didn't like to turn it into a debate over what to do. Levi was probably the first guy he'd been into that actively asked what _he_ wanted to do.

"Bowling?" he suggested at last, bracing himself. "I like bowling."

"Hmm. We can do that." Levi tilted his head slightly, and he narrowed his eyes in thought. "Eren, you don't need to hesitate to say what you want with me, got it? The worst I can do is say 'no', and I'm not going to turn it into a huge drama. Take the initiative. Be frank with me. You've got a spine. I've already heard some stories about it. Make use of that."

Levi leaned in closer, and he dropped his voice to a husky murmur. "Take charge. Trust me, I won't mind. If anything, it'll give me a hard-on rather than offend me."

Eren swallowed and nodded. He couldn't look away from that hooded stare. Levi was so opaque most of the time, but he could see how earnest he was about this. "Yes. I'll try."

Levi nodded. "Good. I know you're trying to be a nice guy, but you've trained yourself to be something you're not. You aren't a pushover. You're more of an alpha than you apparently think. I've seen it and so has Erwin. Be yourself, Eren."

Eren nodded convulsively. He felt like he must be dreaming. Maybe he'd just been chasing after the wrong kind of guys for all this time. Here was someone that apparently wouldn't take offense if he got a little pushy...allegedly even _preferring_ that sort of assertion over compliance.

"Got it," he said, his voice sounding a little rough to his own ears. "It may take a while to break old habits, but I'll keep that suggestion in mind when we're together, Levi."

"That's what I like to hear," approved the alumnus.

"Can I just ask," Eren said carefully, "what's your real endgame? I mean, you say you like to submit, but you're anything but submissive to me. You seem to set the tone no matter what. It's...a little confusing to me."

Levi went still for a second. He relaxed against the back of the couch, and he reached down to give Eren's left knee an intimate squeeze. "You think because I like being dominated that I should be a meek lover?"

At a loss, Eren grimaced. "I wouldn't really have put it that way, but yeah. I get the feeling you wouldn't let anyone boss you around."

"Good instincts," approved Levi, "and you're not wrong. Let me explain to you how this works, Eren. I may be the one getting fucked most of the time, but in the end, I'm also the one that calls the shots. My decisions trump my partners'. _I_ decide who fucks me, how long they fuck me and what I'm willing to do in the bedroom. If I'm not into something my partner wants to do, all it takes from me is one word to end the encounter."

Levi glanced off to the side, and his gaze went slightly blank. "Erwin was the one to teach me that, by the way. It might seem like the dom in a relationship holds all the cards, but that's really just an illusion. If it's a good relationship, the dominant will _always_ respect the submissive's boundaries and never try to force something their partner isn't into. That's why me and Erwin have this screening process. It can be a risky thing to play games like this without knowing everyone involved is on board and clear about the rules."

It made sense, the way Levi put it. Eren nodded thoughtfully. He wasn't nearly as embarrassed over the subject as he'd been the first time they'd talked about it. "I would never try to get you to do something you weren't into. That's why I keep asking about it. I've got no damned experience with this sort of relationship."

"Hmph. I wouldn't have expected you to." Levi rubbed his knee, and he gave Eren a brief kiss on the mouth. "If things work out the way I hope they will, you'll learn. I think you'll pick it up fast. Just remember though, these rules apply to you also. If there's anything me or Erwin do that you aren't comfortable with, just open your mouth and say so. Don't put up with something you don't like just to try and please us, got it?"

Eren's face felt like it was practically on fire by now. "Okay. Ah, I have to confess I'm a little nervous about the part with Mr. Smith."

"Yeah? How so? And stop calling him 'Mr. Smith' outside of class, kid. It's a little creepy. If you're going to be sleeping with the guy, you can fucking call him by his first name."

Eren blurted an embarrassed laugh. "Uh, yeah. I just...haven't had any one-on-one time with him like I have with you. Haven't even talked to him outside of class, so I'm in the dark about how he feels except for what you've told me."

"That's a valid enough point," conceded Levi. "I'll tell you what: I'll talk to him about organizing something with you. It's got to be discreet, you understand. Something low-key where other college students and staff aren't likely to see you two hanging out together. I'm not suggesting one of those 'shame restaurant' hole in the wall places that people go to when they're cheating on a spouse. You get what I'm saying?"

Eren nodded. "Yeah. I don't want him to get in trouble. Maybe all three of us could get together and do something?"

"Or something." Levi cracked another smirk, his pale gaze roaming over Eren suggestively. He cleared his throat. "Yeah, we could arrange that. Maybe you and I could 'bump into him' at the medieval festival next weekend."

Eren brightened at the thought. "That's perfect! I love the hatchet toss."

"I'll bet you do." There was a touch of amusement in Levi's tone. "Down boy. You're gonna give me the impression that you're more into throwing axes than you are in making out with me."

"That isn't possible," Eren stated—more vehemently than intended.

Levi reached out to trace the shell of Eren's right ear. "Nice answer. I'll be in touch with you about that this week. As for the present, I know you've got classes in the morning. We should probably say goodnight before I'm too tempted to kidnap you and keep you here all night."

"I wouldn't complain," confessed Eren, his confidence rising.

"Don't tempt me, brat." Levi sighed, and he scooted a seat cushion away before standing up. "Let's split the rest of the pizza and get you home. I don't want your grades suffering because of me."

Eren took the hint, and he got up as well. "Okay. You don't have to just call me to set up the next date though. You can just call to say hello if you want. Or test me. Ooh, or sext me."

When Levi's brows pinched, Eren realized what a dork he was being. "You know...sexting. It's um...when you send flirty text messages and—"

"You mean like dick pictures," interrupted Levi. His mouth twitched a little.

"Well, it doesn't _have_ to be. Shit, forget I said that, okay?"

Levi gave him a smack on the shoulder that was rough enough to make Eren stagger a bit. "I know what you meant. Cute, Jaeger. Maybe I will. I'm not a very chatty guy, though. I prefer to speak my thoughts in person. Hope that doesn't put a crimp on things for you."

Eren shook his head. "No. It's cool."

"All right." Levi went to the kitchenette, and while Eren watched with hopeless infatuation, he divided the remaining pizza slices and put half of them onto a paper plate he procured from one of the cabinets. He covered Eren's portion in foil and handed it over to him. "Here you go. Nice choice in pizza by the way, Eren. I liked it."

Eren took the offering with a smile. "I'm glad. I'd like to take you someplace nice for dinner sometime, too."

"Maybe we can plan that for our next one-on-one date after the bowling ally," suggested Levi. "So the plan is bowling, then the festival, and after that maybe dining out somewhere. Does that work for you?"

"Yeah. That sounds great." Eren stood there indecisively, holding his plate of leftovers and debating on whether he should act on Levi's invitation for him to take the initiative. He could do it. He _should_ do it. The man had encouraged him to, after all.

"Thanks for a great first date," Eren said. He nearly made his retreat, nearly chickened out, but then he saw something in Levi's gaze that made him change his mind. He set the plate of leftover pizza down on the end table near the door with the lamp on it, grabbed Levi around the waist and pulled him close to deliver the most passionate goodnight kiss he'd ever given anyone.

"Mmph," came Levi's muffled response, and then he grabbed Eren's shoulders and kissed him back just as hard. His pelvis lined up with Eren's...or rather, as close as it could considering Levi was shorter than him. As it was, he fell just short of it and ended up grinding his hard package against the taller male's upper thigh.

Eren didn't mind one bit. He demonstrated this fact by boldly cupping Levi's ass, just as he had the first time they'd kissed. He squeezed the tempting firmness of the other man's cheeks and rubbed up against him shamelessly. The kiss lasted for longer than either of them probably intended it to, and when they broke away from each other, both were out of breath like they'd been deep-sea diving.

"That," Levi gasped, "is why I need to limit how long our dates last. At least for now."

Eren held his gaze, wanting more than anything to keep going. He had to respect Levi's space, though. Even if there weren't a complicated relationship scenario to consider, he wouldn't have wanted to rush things with a guy like this. He liked him too much to turn it into something cheap, something purely physical.

"You're right," Eren admitted breathlessly. "I'm glad one of us has enough self-control to hold back. If that had kept up, I'm not sure I would have been able to stop."

Levi made a sound in his throat that was half a growl of frustration, and half a purr of intrigue. "One day I won't stop you. For now, we've got to be content with a few kisses and gropes. Let's get a feel for each other as people before we exchange a major feel of each other's bodies. Think you can handle that, Eren?"

"I don't have a choice, do I?" Eren smirked painfully. "Like you said: you're calling the shots."

Levi nodded. "I'm glad you've embraced that attitude. Now get out of here before I lose my composure and rip your clothes off."

* * *

As soon as Eren was gone, Levi leaned back against his entry door and sighed heavily. He looked down at his body, staring at the evidence of his desire for Eren. There was one sure way to take care of that without the need for going solo. Levi pulled out his cell phone and he sent a text to Erwin.

_"Hey. Date's over and I'm horny and frustrated. U available?"_

He fidgeted impatiently while he waited for his lover to respond. After several moments, the blessed reply beeped through.

_"I'll be finished grading papers in about twenty minutes. Come over whenever you like."_

Levi heaved another sigh before entering a reply. _"Better be finished with those papers by the time I get there, blondie."_

He was definitely in no mood to wait. Sometimes Levi wondered if he had some kind of disorder, because surely his libido was higher than average. A part of him suspected that Erwin was so keen on getting a third partner because Levi wore him out at times.

Levi shrugged it off. Erwin knew what he was getting into when they started seeing each other, and thus far the blond had never complained. He was good about taking care of Levi even when he was too tired for intercourse...which fortunately wasn't very often.

"Shit," Levi muttered after opening his closet to pick out some outerwear to put on. Eren's jacket was till in there. He kept forgetting about that. He'd meant to give it back to the guy tonight, but the thought flew right out of his head the minute Jaeger showed up at his door looking so gorgeous.

"Ah well. He probably wouldn't mind me using it for a while longer."

Levi grabbed the windbreaker and put it on. He could smell a hint of whatever aftershave Eren used, and he lifted the collar to his nose and inhaled deeply. He really liked that scent. It had a hint of some spicy notes to it, a cloying suggestion of cinnamon and perhaps ginger. By contrast, Erwin used an aftershave with more earthy notes to it, subtle but pleasantly masculine. Levi couldn't decide which he liked more.

Thinking of Erwin's aftershave reminded Levi of his current priorities, and he stopped debating which smelled better to him. He was going to wreck Erwin Smith tonight.

* * *

-To be continued


	5. Chapter 5: Sealed with a Kiss

Two weeks had gone by since Levi started seeing Eren Jaeger. Erwin knew they hadn't done anything together yet, because after each date, Levi showed up at the house with an insatiable hunger for sex. The night before had been Levi's fourth date with Eren, and he'd arrived at home afterwards and jumped Erwin with a desperation that took the blond off guard. Levi hadn't asked to switch for some time, but last night he'd insisted on it.

Lying on his side next to the younger male, Erwin watched him sleep. He was a little sore in the nethers from Levi's vigorous passion the night before, but he didn't mind. It was always a satisfying experience to trade places with his lover and let him top. Surprisingly, Levi had trouble containing his excitement once he got started in that position. He rarely lasted for very long, but his intensity more than made up for that.

Erwin, on the other hand, tended to go at it for a long time when he did the fucking. He preferred to savor every whimper and cry he could provoke from his partners, and he had the technique of holding back his orgasm down to an art. He smirked as he thought of the last time he'd demonstrated his staying power with Levi. It was the only time Erwin could recall ever succeeding in wearing his lover out first. Levi had been so exhausted that he'd actually begged Erwin to finish before he killed him with his dick.

Unfortunately, Erwin wasn't able to go for that long most of the time. He was only a flesh and blood man after all, and it was a challenge to fuck someone as appealing as Levi without getting worked up too fast.

Erwin reached out to trace Levi's nose with a fingertip. He loved that feature. His boyfriend had the most adorable little nose he'd ever seen. He brushed his thumb over the dark fringe of Levi's eyelashes next. That was another riveting thing about the man; those heavy-lidded, enigmatic gray eyes. They'd pierced Erwin like daggers the first time he'd locked gazes with him.

Erwin felt his groin stir as he kept watching Levi sleep. He was wearing one of Erwin's shirts; a button-up white dress shirt that Levi had snatched hastily after their lovemaking so that he was at least partly covered up while he had a cigarette out on the back porch.

"I love it when you wear my clothes," whispered Erwin. Levi practically swam in the shirt of course; it hung down to his mid-thigh and he'd had to roll the sleeves up so that they weren't flapping a ridiculous half-foot beyond his fingertips. It served as a reminder to Erwin how teeny his partner was, and it made him adore him all the more.

"What are you mumbling about?" came Levi's muttered, sleepy comment a couple of seconds after Erwin expressed his adoration.

"Nothing." Erwin closed in for a light kiss on the brunet's parted lips. "Go back to sleep, love. I'm just thinking aloud again."

Levi's eyes cracked open and focused on him. He yawned, and he shifted a little and folded his arms under his pillow. "You should set up something with Eren. Start getting to know him. I think we're at that stage now."

"In time," promised the blond. "I want to first make absolutely sure that you're satisfied with your compatibility with him before I start moving in."

"What if you decide the chemistry isn't right for you, though?" Levi turned his face to regard Erwin, a little more awake now. "It's not gonna do me any good to get attached to the kid if it doesn't feel right for you. I don't want to wait 'till the last minute, Erwin."

"You're just impatient to get down his pants," teased Erwin with a smirk.

Levi shrugged. "That too. Still, I'm already bonding with him. Too much more and it's going to be harder for me to give him up if it comes to that."

Erwin sobered at that. It hadn't occurred to him that Levi might be developing genuine feelings for Eren. He was always so practical about things, always keeping himself armored against forming attachments. Levi had made three exceptions to that, allowing room in his heart for his friends Farlan and Isabel, and then once more with Erwin.

"You like him that much, do you?"

"I'm starting to," admitted Levi. "He's got this charm about him. He's not sophisticated like you, not suave and charismatic, but he's guileless and he doesn't hold back his feelings. He's...I guess he's kind of like a puppy sometimes."

Erwin smiled. "Do tell. I imagine he's passionate?"

"Hell yeah. Determined as fuck, too. I can't see Eren backing down from a challenge even if he knows he's got no chance of winning. I don't think 'quit' is even in the brat's vocabulary."

"You keep referring to him as if he were a child," mused Erwin, "but he's only a little younger than you."

"Like I said; he's got a boyishness about him. It irritates me sometimes, but other times it's charming. I don't know how to explain it."

"Perhaps there's no need to," suggested Erwin. He lifted the hem of the shirt Levi had borrowed from him, baring the smaller male's pale, smooth ass to view. He rubbed it in slow, gentle circles. The skin was so soft and smooth, yet the glute muscles so firm. "Sometimes there aren't words for the way a person makes you feel. I still struggle for them when it comes to you, to be honest."

Levi's eyes drifted shut, and he hummed softly with appreciation for Erwin's light touch. He lifted his butt a little, impulsively encouraging the attention like a cat getting a good scratch. This was another of Levi's weak spots. He loved having his ass rubbed. He also enjoyed a spanking now and then, but caressing the sensitive skin just right seemed to have a sedating effect on him. Erwin took advantage of this knowledge, and he stroked his fingertips over the crease where Levi's buttocks met the back of his thighs. He grinned when the younger man practically purred in response.

"I just...think you should...mmm...interact with him more," suggested Levi in a dazed, breathy voice. "Outside of class, I mean. It'll help...put him at ease about the...arrangement we want to make. Show him you're as interested as I am."

Erwin was fighting impending laughter over Levi's struggle to form coherent words. Sometimes he liked to rub the man's butt just to stupify him and listen to him make those cute sounds of bliss.

"If it will help you feel more secure, then we can invite him over for dinner this weekend," offered Erwin. "That should provide a casual enough setting for us to speak outside of campus, without pressuring or intimidating him. It will also give me the chance to better observe him and familiarize myself with him. Will that do, Levi?"

Levi nodded, obviously struggling to stay awake. "Yeah. God, that feels good. Mmmm..."

Erwin planted a kiss on the smaller man's temple. "Then just relax and enjoy it. You know how I love 'petting' you anyway."

Levi sighed, and he started drifting off to sleep. Erwin kept it up for a while, simply enjoying the intimacy of the moment without it leading to sex. Levi had such a sensitive body. Most people would never have guessed, but Erwin was thrilled to make the discovery shortly after they started sleeping together.

Erwin glanced down at his half-hard cock, and he considered it quietly, still caressing Levi's bottom impulsively. He thought about the conversation they'd had about the possibility of him getting a piercing down there, and he wondered how painful it would be and how long he could expect the recovery time to be. Maybe he would do it for Levi's birthday, just as the younger man had agreed to having his nipple's pierced for Erwin's birthday.

One terrifying thought was all that was really holding Erwin back from acting on the suggestion to have his dick modified. Suppose he went for it and something went horribly wrong? Not only cosmetically, but medically as well? What if nerve tissue got damaged and it resulted in impotency? The thought of never fucking Levi again was enough to keep Erwin procrastinating, yet at the same time, he knew that a piercing could potentially magnify and enhance their lovemaking.

Erwin mulled over the dilemma as he rubbed Levi's ass, and eventually he fell back asleep like his companion, one big hand still resting on the smaller man's left butt cheek.

* * *

Eren was pleasantly surprised to answer his door early that evening to find Levi on the other side of it. Even more surprising, the smaller man was wearing Eren's windbreaker. He'd forgotten all about Levi running off with his jacket, and he blurted out the first thing that sprang to mind.

"That's my jacket!"

Levi glanced down at his attire. "So it is. I've been meaning to return it to you, but it seems I've gotten attached to it." He leaned to the side a little to peer into Eren's dorm room, and when he saw that Eren was alone, Levi stepped closer and pulled the taller male's head down for a kiss of greeting.

"Uh," Eren said stupidly once the kiss was broken. "Keep the jacket. I don't mind. If you want my kidney, you can have that too."

"Heh." Levi smirked at him, his hooded gaze subtly playful. "Your kidney isn't the organ I'm looking to lay claim too, you know."

Catching on to the not-so-subtle hint, Eren's face heated and he smiled. "You can have that organ whenever you want. It's not like I haven't already offered it to you."

Levi sighed regretfully. "Not yet, hotshot. There are still rules to follow concerning that part." He paused, seemed to realize how his comment came out sounding, and he revised it. "I mean the part where we finally have sex. Not your dick."

Eren laughed a little unsteadily. "I knew you weren't talking about literally putting a set of rules on my junk, babe."

Levi's cheeks gained a subtle hint of pink, as did the tip of his nose. It was fucking adorable to witness, and Eren stared at him with fascination. That was the first time he'd seen Levi blush. He wondered if it was because he'd called him 'babe' or if it was because of the direction their dialog had taken regarding sex rules.

Eren cleared his throat, trying not to let himself become too smitten by the sight of Levi's blush. "So, have you talked to Erwin at all yet? Is he...still on board with this like you said?"

Levi nodded, seeming a little relieved at the slight shift in subject matter. "Yeah, he's still up for it. No pun intended. Matter of fact, he wanted me to extend a dinner invitation to you this weekend. Do you have Saturday free?"

"I've got an exam coming up, but I can put aside studying for it Saturday night if it means a chance to hang out with both of you."

"Hmm." Levi frowned a bit. "I don't want you fucking up your grades on our account, Eren."

"It'll be fine," insisted Eren. "I study a little every night, so it's not like I'm going to be trying to cram for it. Armin helps me out. I can spare a few hours away from the books for you."

That seemed to appease Levi's hesitation. He put his arms around Eren's neck in a way that almost should have seemed feminine, but there wasn't a thing about Levi that wasn't masculine despite his small stature. He gazed directly into Eren's eyes as he spoke to him.

"It's a date, then. I'll pick you up here and take you to our place around sex. I mean six." Levi clicked his tongue and shook his head with internalized frustration. "Fuck, I keep doing shit like that."

Eren choked on a laugh. He wasn't used to Levi verbally slipping up this bad. "I wonder what _your_ mind is on."

"I think you'll find my mind drifts in that direction a lot," informed Levi candidly. "Erwin's accused me of being a sex addict more than once."

"So you've got like a hyper active sex drive?" Eren was intrigued by the notion. He already knew that Levi was a hella good kisser, and the one time he'd managed to cop another feel on one of their dates, the alumnus' reaction to getting a brief rub had been...memorable.

"I'm probably more needy than average when it comes to that," confessed Levi evenly. "I doubt Erwin's last twink ran him through the ringer as much as I do."

"You must be explosive in the bedroom," guessed Eren. His pants started feeling tighter.

Levi gazed up at him, and his lips curved into a seductive, promising little half-smile. "I am."

"Wow," Eren murmured, more than a little impressed. "I've never met anyone that said it that way."

Levi tilted his head a little to one side. "What way?"

Eren struggled to explain it in a way that would make sense. "Just so...factual I guess. You might as well have been agreeing that your hair is black. You're just so casual about it, like you're not bragging, just stating the simple truth."

"Hmm. I'll leave the deciding verdict up to you," Levi informed him, slightly teasing in his tone. "I tend to avoid delusions of grandeur, but I'll put it this way: not one of my partners has ever gone five minutes without yelling my name. If that sounds conceited to you, then think of it as more of a promise."

Levi closed in a little more, tugged Eren's hair to draw the taller male's ear down to his lips, and then spoke in a low, droning voice into it. "You _will_ be hollering my name a lot when I finally get my hands on you, Jaeger. That's my vow."

Seduced by Levi's titillating words, the clean, fresh scent of him and the hardness of his body pressing up against his, Eren groaned before he could help himself. "Levi..."

Levi pulled back and raised a brow at him. "Damn, kid. I haven't even done anything yet and you're already calling my name."

Eren couldn't help himself. He pushed the door closed behind Levi, and then he backed the smaller man up against it. He cupped his face in his palms, his eyes boring into Levi's with an almost savage lust.

"Do you know how much I _want_ you?" Eren husked. "Just hearing your voice turns me on. If you pose nude again in art class, I think I'll probably fucking burst."

"I'll make a note of that," Levi said dryly. "No more nude posing until after we've sealed this arrangement. I wouldn't want you to shower the whole class with your spunk."

Eren shook his head and laughed a little harshly. How Levi could be so damned matter-of-fact about his own sex appeal without coming off as conceited was just amazing to him. "That would be a painting experience nobody would forget for a while."

"Cream of some young guy, by Eren Jaeger," teased Levi with a smirk. "I doubt your classmates would appreciate being your canvas, though."

Eren kept imagining everyone in his art class covered with his...stuff. He started laughing again. "Gross, man."

Levi shrugged. "You know I've got a problem with my word filter."

"You do," agreed Eren, "but I like it."

In fact, Levi's off-color sense of humor was the most unique Eren had ever experienced. The fact that he said such vulgar things with such a straight face all the time just made it even funnier. Try though he might, Eren couldn't resist laughing when Levi came out with something brutally obscene out of the blue. He wondered if Erwin felt the same.

"So six o'clock on Saturday, right?" Eren said, stifling his mingled desire and amusement.

"Yeah. Wear something comfortable and casual. We'll be eating in, so there's no need to dress up. Just make sure you're clean-shaven."

"Got it," agreed Eren readily.

* * *

Saturday arrived, and Levi was fussing over the meal more than he usually would have. He and Erwin had decided to make pot stickers with steamed veggies and rice for dinner. The latter parts of the meal were easy enough, but Levi insisted on making the pot stickers from scratch.

"Levi, it's nearly five thirty," Erwin advised him after checking his watch. "Leave the rest to me and take my car. You don't want to be late picking up Eren."

Levi also checked the time, and he swore. "I still have to—"

"Lover, don't worry about it," interrupted Erwin in a firm but kind tone. "I can handle it. Let's not have a repeat of the first time you cooked a meal for me, shall we?"

Levi's lips thinned at the reminder. He'd been as frantic to serve Erwin a good meal the first time he treated him to a home cooked dinner as he was now with Eren. In fact, he'd been so focused on getting everything just right that he'd foiled himself in the end, over-compensating with more food than necessary in his attempts to impress the man. He'd served three kinds of meat for lack of knowing what Erwin preferred: filet mignon, baked chicken and grilled fish. He'd made two kinds of potatoes—scalloped and mashed. He'd also served seasoned cabbage, sweet peas and sautéed mushrooms and onions on the side.

Erwin, being a gentleman who believed in good manners, had sampled some of everything Levi cooked for him. He was so stuffed by the end of the night that he could barely move, let alone romantically interact with Levi. He'd taken it all in stride, complimented Levi on the banquet he'd provided and kindly thanked him for such a big and varied meal. Unfortunately, Erwin suffered indigestion from over-eating and he'd spent most of the next day blowing up his toilet. Levi didn't cook for him again for months, until Erwin's gentle coaxing finally wore him down and salved his embarrassment and guilt.

"Okay," Levi sighed at last, untying his apron. "You finish cooking it. I don't want Eren to end up gut-speaking the way you did."

"It wasn't _that_ bad," Erwin objected with a chuckle.

"No? You fucking burped my name, Erwin. We were trying to make out and I didn't know if you were gonna puke on me or what."

A deep, rumbling laugh issued from the older male. "I would never have puked on you. That moment was just as horrible for me as it was for you, by the way. Imagine my embarrassment when my attempt to be romantically engaging turned into an impromptu toilet comedy session."

"Okay, okay," Levi grumbled, again reminded of the stomach woes he'd inflicted on his lover in his attempts to make him a good meal. "You spent the next day on the porcelain throne thanks to me. I get it. Burping my name wasn't half as bad as what I did to your digestive system."

"It's ancient history now," Erwin chided. "I can look back on it and laugh. The important thing is that we don't repeat it. You need to relax and avoid letting your...er...tendency to be a perfectionist stress you out."

"Tch. Like you're one to talk." Levi's right brow went up slightly. "When it comes to our little scenarios in the bedroom, you're the biggest perfectionist of them all."

"Is that a complaint, or a compliment?" Erwin grinned at him.

"A bit of both," informed Levi without apology. "That fucking lace getup you had me wear last week itched like crazy. Couldn't wait to get it off."

"I'm sorry. I didn't take into account your skin sensitivity. It looked amazing on you, though. Maybe after a couple of washings it will be easier for you to wear."

Levi checked a sigh. Erwin really did like the lacy shit. Levi felt foolish wearing the red satin and lace bikini underwear and stockings combo Erwin had bought for him, but it got the blond so hot that it had been worth it, overall. Levi hoped Eren's tastes ran to a more comfortable material. Levi himself preferred spandex and vinyl.

"Use some fabric softener next time you wash them," he suggested at last.

"I will," promised Erwin. "It isn't as though they stay on you for very long once I see you in them, you know."

"Fortunately," stated Levi dryly. He hung up his apron and collected Erwin's car keys. He had a motorcycle himself, but he thought it would be more comfortable for Eren to ride in the car at this time of year. "I'll be back in about twenty with Eren. Think that's enough time for you to finish up cooking?"

"It may be another ten minutes after that, but the wait to eat shouldn't be long." Erwin started putting the potstickers in the pan to cook them. "Drive safe."

* * *

Dinner was a moderate success, Erwin thought. They sat down to eat some five minutes after Levi returned with their guest, and he kept conversation casual and light to begin with. Being a tactful kind of man, he didn't want to jump right into the subject matter of how this three-way relationship could work. He built up to it, inquiring about Eren's other studies, his hobbies and his taste in music, literature and films.

He could definitely see the charm that Levi had spoken of as he interacted with Eren Jaeger. The guy wasn't very inhibited, though he had a better sense of filtering his words than Levi did. He talked about his friends, his thoughts on the courses he was taking so far and when prompted, his opinion on Erwin's teaching techniques. He told the blond that he found it easy enough to follow his lesson plans, said that Erwin was good about making himself clear when instructing the class.

Eren asked how long Erwin had been teaching, to which the older man answered that it was going on seven years. Surprisingly, Eren didn't ask about his and Levi's relationship. Erwin knew that his lover had already filled him in on some of it, but he'd expected Eren to inquire more about it at dinner. He suspected that the young man was just trying not to be disrespectful by digging for information that hadn't been volunteered yet. This was, after all, the first time they'd spoken outside of class.

After finishing the meal, they enjoyed some sticky rice pudding and then went outside on the back porch for a smoke. Eren didn't smoke, but he gamely joined him and Levi with the beer Erwin had offered him. Seeing as Eren appeared to be a bit more relaxed, Erwin decided it was time to speak about the proverbial elephant in the room.

"I assume Levi has explained most of the dynamics in our relationship to you," mused Erwin. He took off his glasses to polish the lenses, setting his cigar down in the ashtray on the glass-topped outdoor table.

"Yeah," agreed Eren with a nod and a somewhat shy glance his way. "Some of it, anyway. He said you're okay with the two of us seeing each other."

"I am," assured Erwin. "I would like to take it further, though. Did he inform you of that possibility?"

"He did."

Erwin glanced at Levi, and then he put his glasses back on and met Eren's gaze. "I'll be frank; I like you, Eren. I find you interesting and attractive company. Levi obviously feels the same. I wanted to be sure the three of us can co-exist in a more casually intimate setting before I approached this subject. So far, I think it's working out. What are your thoughts on that?"

"I feel the same way," confided Eren. He reached out, paused for a second and then placed a hand on Levi's knee. He was watching Erwin in a way that said he was testing to see if the man showed any jealousy. When he didn't, Eren smiled a little. "I like you too, Mr. Smith."

"Call me Erwin," urged the instructor. "There's no need for such formality when we're off campus. Unless of course we're playing a scenario."

"A...scenario?"

"Yes." Erwin had a feeling that the younger man understood what he meant, but it was natural for him to question things to be sure he wasn't misunderstanding. "We like to play little games from time to time, just for fun and added zest. It's up to you whether you choose to participate in them, but I wouldn't want to take you by surprise."

"I see." Eren blushed, and he dropped his gaze. "How...do we move on from here? What comes next?"

Erwin locked gazes with Levi for a moment, and when the smaller male nodded encouragingly, he divulged the plan he'd come up with to Eren. "We would like you to come over again next weekend. Pack a change of clothes and any toiletries you may want to bring when you do."

"You want me to stay overnight?" Eren met his eyes again, blinking.

"Yes, that's the plan," Levi stated before the blond could answer. He gave Eren's hand a brief squeeze. "That's what this dinner date was leading up to, though I didn't know Erwin was going to make the offer so soon. Are you okay with this, or what?"

"I...sure." Eren nodded, more confident. "Absolutely. I'll keep my weekend schedule clear."

"Good. I'll call you to make further arrangements later in the week," Levi told him. "If you decide you want to back out of it, don't wait until the last minute. I'll consider it set in stone if I don't hear otherwise from you by Wednesday, got it?"

"Got it," agreed Eren.

The slight tension Erwin felt eased up in the face of Eren's agreeability, but they still had yet to reach the hardest part. The true test would come when Eren arrived next weekend, and Erwin had to have faith that Levi would do his best to prepare the young man for the encounter. There was a reason behind Levi's decision to give him until the middle of the week to finalize his decision, Erwin realized. He too must have concerns that Eren would lose his nerve once he understood how this was going to happen.

* * *

Levi dropped Eren back off on campus a couple of hours later, taking a longer route than before. He explained his and Erwin's expectations for the scheduled weekend, leaving Eren with a lot more to consider. He kissed him deeply in farewell after pulling up to the dorm, and he told him he'd shoot him a text tomorrow.

Eren took the stairs up to his dorm room, and he called out for Armin when he opened the door. His friend wasn't home. Funny, Armin was around less and less these days. Eren would have expected to be the one spending the most time away from their dorm, but it seemed his introverted friend was really making good on his vow to be more social and get out more.

Eren shrugged it off, changed into something more comfortable and turned the TV on before plopping down on his bed. He wasn't really paying attention to the show he'd clicked to or the commercial breaks. His mind was utterly on Levi and Erwin, focused on what was to come. He supposed he should get a little more studying in before going to sleep, but right now he couldn't concentrate on academics. He was nervous and charged at the same time. The upcoming exam didn't seem nearly as important to him as the test he was to face next weekend.

He could either blow the whole deal or perform with flying colors. Eren didn't think there was much of a middle ground as far as this was concerned. Erwin seemed to take this potential set up very seriously. While Levi had been mellow enough while discussing it with him on the way home, Eren definitely got the vibe that the whole thing hinged on his ability to adjust and act.

He was going to have to do Levi in front of Erwin. Talk about stage fright. Levi explained to him that it had to work that way, because Erwin was very particular about how he interacted with potential partners. Erwin knew him well, and if he thought Eren wasn't doing a good job pleasing Levi, the deal would probably be dropped. Eren was worried that Levi might feel obligated to fake it a little, but Levi didn't seem to think that would be necessary based on the chemistry they had between them so far.

Erwin got out his phone, and he found himself looking up information on dominance and submission, and on multi-partner relationships. He felt like he needed to study up on the subjects because the success of this arrangement was just as important to him as getting passing grades in class.

* * *

-To be continued


	6. Chapter 6: The Encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! Hopefully the length of this chapter (and the smut) will help to make up for it.

Eren was a ball of nerves all through the week. He didn't ace his exam as he'd wanted to, but a B was better than a C or lower. He could acutely feel Erwin's gaze on him each time he had a class with him, and Levi texted him at least once a day to check in on him and say hello. Come Wednesday, he found himself almost chickening out of things. It was his last chance to back out of it and try for a later date, but Eren had the feeling that if he did that, Levi might see it as a sign that he wasn't really committed to trying this arrangement and break things off with him. That scared Eren more than the thought of having sex with him for the first time with Erwin as their audience, so he fought back his uncertainty and didn't take the opportunity to call it off.

Friday after classes, Levi sent him another text. The man was more comfortable sending texts than speaking over the phone, Eren had come to realize. He instructed Eren to take a cab to Erwin's place and come right in. He told him he would be reimbursed for the cab fair.

Eren didn't dare question it. He'd already admitted to Armin and Mikasa that he was going to be staying with Levi over the weekend, having informed them both that they were now dating and it was getting serious. Mikasa demonstrated some wariness over Eren's involvement with her cousin, but only because she didn't want Eren to get hurt and she thought Levi was a little cold. That was when Eren fully realized how estranged Mikasa and Levi really were. He probably knew the man better than Levi's own cousin did.

Eren packed a backpack with some clothes, including a pair of jogging pants and a t-shirt for sleeping in—though he doubted he would be wearing much to bed if things went well. He said goodbye to his roommate and asked Armin to wish him luck, promising he'd be back by Sunday at the latest. He then met the waiting cab outside the dorm and took the ride to Erwin Smith's house on the north side of town.

When he arrived at the house, Eren tipped the driver, paid the fee and walked up to the door. He hesitated for a moment with his hand hovering over the knob. Levi had told him to just come in; the door should be unlocked. Eren gathered his courage and opened it. He stepped through the threshold, and he started to call out to his hosts when he noticed a sticky note attached to the mirror in the foyer. It was in Levi's handwriting, and it instructed him to go down the hall and take the second door to the right.

Feeling like he was following a trail of breadcrumbs or something, Eren did as the note suggested after setting his backpack down in the foyer. He found another note on the suggested door with the words: _"Come in"_ scribbled on it. The whole thing felt a bit surreal to Eren. He gave a knock just in case, and he heard Levi's voice call out to him from the other side, encouraging him to go through the door. Eren opened it, and what he found inside made him stop in his tracks.

Levi was relaxing on the big king-sized bed, lying on top of the deep green comforter and white sheets. He was fully nude, his pale body seeming to shine a little in the artificial light coming from the overhead ceiling fan. There was a subtle, sweet aroma of vanilla in the air, and it dawned on Eren with a thrill of excitement that Levi had taken the trouble to oil his body up with some kind of scented—and possibly flavored—product.

Eren didn't know what to do. Ordinarily, his first instinct would be to start making out with the gorgeous, naked man reclining in the bed, gazing up at him with come-hither gray eyes. They weren't alone, however. Erwin sat in a gray armchair watching quietly as Eren took in his surroundings. Both men waited, and Eren had the feeling they were either testing him, giving him the chance to back out before anything happened...or maybe both.

"So, this is your place," Eren finally vocalized, directing the observation at Erwin. Not that this was his first time to come here, but he'd only seen the main part of the house and the back yard the last time. He was blushing furiously, embarrassed but excited. "It's really nice."

Erwin inclined his head, smiling in his calm, reassuring way. The riveting blue eyes flicked to Levi, who hadn't moved from his spot. Then they fixated on Eren, daring him silently from behind the lenses of his rectangular, silver-framed glasses.

Prompted by the look, Eren turned back to Levi. He made himself look him up and down. His pulse quickened, his mouth watered and his crotch swelled in his pants. Levi was stunning, no doubt about that. His chest and stomach rippled with lean muscles. His thighs did too, and resting between them, Levi's pink-tipped cock began to stir and swell. His chest rose and fell just a touch faster, hinting that he too was getting excited about this.

"Well, Eren?" prompted Levi softly, that hooded gaze traveling the student's form lazily. "Here we are. Is this still something you want to do, or what?"

Eren nodded, currently lacking the power of speech to give a verbal reply. He saw Erwin shift from the corner of his eye, and he gathered up his courage. He'd been tutored on how this first encounter would go. This time, it was all about him and Levi. If things went well and there was to be a second encounter, Erwin might join in.

Levi's bare foot brushed against Eren's leg. He tilted his dark head thoughtfully, staring into the younger male's eyes.

"Yes," Eren said at last. "This is still something I want to do. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it, in fact. I just...I've never been in this exact situation before. It's really uh..."

Eren's head swiveled to regard the handsome older man still sitting quietly in the corner of the room. "Different."

"I understand." Erwin stayed as he was, relaxed with a glass of some cocktail in one hand. "Perhaps we played it wrong, leading you in here with an instruction note. Would you like a drink first, Eren? Maybe it would loosen you up."

"God, it's tempting," admitted Eren. "N-not that there's anything wrong with the way this is set up, I just don't know how to start."

"Tch. So you're a virgin? I got the feeling you had some experience." Levi sounded annoyed.

"No!" Eren faced Levi again, and even with that disdainful look on the alumnus' face, Eren couldn't help but admire him. Levi still hadn't moved; which Eren supposed made some sense, considering that Erwin hadn't given him permission to do so.

"I'm not a virgin, okay?" Eren went on. "I've just never done a three-way or had an audience before. Plus, you two are together in a commitment. How is someone _supposed_ to start?"

Levi and Erwin exchanged a glance. Levi smirked, and Erwin had a sip of his drink. He said one soft, low word. "Levi."

There was an unspoken command in it, and Levi sat up in the bed, got on his knees and crawled closer to the foot of it. He reached out for Eren, staring up at him as he hooked the younger male's belt loops with his fingers.

"How about we start like this?" purred Levi. He tugged insistently, urging Eren closer. His hands splayed over Eren's ass when the student stumbled and nearly fell onto him. The next thing Eren knew, Levi was nuzzling the bulge in his crotch, pressing that cute nose directly against it.

"Uh...okay." Eren stared down at him, startled but excited. He checked himself, gathering his nerves. He could feel Erwin's eyes on him as Levi started undoing his pants. That should have freaked him out, but it only turned him on more.

"You're so sexy," Eren breathed, reaching down to stroke Levi's hair. He was losing some of his shyness, falling into the fantasy. "No wonder your lover wants to watch."

Erwin didn't comment on that, but Eren thought he could hear the blond shift in his seat a little. He had his back to the instructor, so he couldn't see what kind of expression the man was wearing. Hopefully Erwin was turned on and not jealous. Eren still had trouble understanding how anyone could be okay with their significant other having sex with someone else, but it seemed legit so far.

He was suddenly exposed, and Eren stared at the spectacle of Levi fisting his erection. He took a deep breath, not daring to move. Levi's gaze lifted to Eren's again, and he brushed his pouty lips against the fleshy cap of Eren's cock. The organ twitched, and Eren lost visual focus. His breath caught, and he let it back out again with a hitching gasp when Levi opened his mouth, put his lips around the tip and gave it a suck.

"I wouldn't advise thrusting just yet," remarked Erwin. "Let him get a taste of you first."

Levi paused and leaned to one side to look at Erwin from behind Eren's hip. "I thought you were just gonna observe."

"I never said I would do so without offering a bit of friendly advice," came the answer from the blond. "I just want the boy to have a chance, Levi."

That nearly made Eren turn around. Could he have heard wrong? It almost sounded like Erwin was claiming more credit for this encounter happening than Levi. Since Levi had been the one to approach him, Eren had assumed he talked Erwin into agreeing to this before they gave the invitation. Maybe he'd been wrong about that.

Eren's thoughts took another blank turn when Levi started working him over with his mouth again. He nearly whimpered in shock. The guy relaxed his throat and took him almost whole. Eren looked down at the raven head now bobbing at his groin, dumbfounded. He carefully sifted his fingers through Levi's soft, shiny hair and somehow recalled how to breathe.

"He's good, isn't he?" commented Erwin softly, drawing Eren's attention briefly away from the spectacle of his dick being sucked on. The blond man was watching intently, and there was a gleam of lust in his vivid blue gaze.

Eren nodded and swallowed, not trusting himself to speak without screaming. Yes, Levi was good. He was very, _very_ good. Eren tensed involuntarily as his partner's teeth gently scraped against the opening of his urethra. Breath hitching, Eren couldn't hold back his moan. His thighs bunched and his ass flexed. Levi's response to that was to immediately pop him on the left cheek with an open palm; a silent but sharp warning to be still. Eren thought he heard a huff of quiet amusement from Erwin, and he guessed this was a common way for Levi to correct his partners when they didn't cooperate.

How strange that Levi was supposedly the submissive one of the pair, yet nothing about him seemed passive to Eren. He tried to control himself, clenching his hands into fists at his sides. Eren attempted a breathing exercise Armin had taught him for anger management, figuring it might work for lust as well.

"Interesting," murmured Erwin.

Eren risked a glance at the professor, trying to ignore the slurping noises Levi was making and the sensations he was giving him. "Sir?"

"What you started to do just now," clarified Erwin after having another sip of his drink. "Changing your breathing rhythm that way. Is it perhaps a tantric technique?"

Surprised by the question, Eren shook his head. "N-no. I don't even really know what...unh...tantric is. It w-was just a breathing method Armin taught me to...oh...cool my temper."

"You're angry?" Erwin smiled.

"No, I'm about to blow my load," admitted Eren tightly, jaw clenching. "Trying to hold it back."

Erwin laughed. He had a deep, rich laugh. It was nice. "Inventive. Maybe it can serve you in other ways."

"That's what...I was going for," gasped Eren. His face was hot, and it was getting increasingly harder for him to stay docile. "Levi...please. Can I move yet?"

Levi glanced up at him. His eyes were half-lidded with passion, and his cheeks were flushed. He licked the slit in the tip of Eren's cock, smirking around his girth as the younger male all but whimpered. He let Eren's flesh slide out of his mouth, and he squeezed his ass.

"Not yet. I want to finish you off first, and then you can take over."

That prospect made Eren even more excited. He hadn't expected for Levi to insist on getting him off before they even fucked, but he knew it wouldn't take long for him to recover...not with two hot men like Levi and Erwin available to him. Especially not when Levi had just promised to let him have his way after this.

Eren braced himself as the smaller man took him into his mouth again, and he fell back on his original idea to try and control his breathing to keep himself grounded. It seemed to do some good, though it was impossible for Eren to put himself into a calm state as he sometimes managed to whenever he felt the need to use Armin's technique. He kept clenching and un-clenching his hands, watching Levi's busily bobbing head and wishing he could just bend him over and fuck him witless.

Eren could feel Erwin Smith's eyes stay on him the whole time, assessing and observant. It made him self conscious, and yet once again, it also turned him on. He couldn't hold it any longer, and when Levi took him far down his throat and began to swallow, Eren yelled breathlessly. He pulsed in Levi's mouth, and he squeezed the raven-haired male's shoulders impulsively. Levi didn't stop or admonish him. He kept swallowing until he'd taken every last drop of Eren's cum.

Eren didn't even realize he'd closed his eyes until he opened them again and found himself staring at Erwin's clavicle. It was at that moment that he realized the man had unbuttoned the top of his shirt, and Eren could see some of his chest as well, dusted with yellow-gold hair. Erwin was staring at him, and to Eren's feverish mind, he thought the man looked like he was about to kiss him.

"You make a very erotic face when you come, Eren."

Gasping for breath, Eren didn't pull away as the older man put a supportive arm around him. "I wouldn't know. I've never looked at myself when it happens."

Erwin smirked. "Then maybe we can remedy that sometime."

Eren wasn't sure what he meant by that, but his attention was again drawn to Levi when the other male released his cock and retreated. Still panting, Eren watched Levi recline back on the bed the way he'd been doing when he first arrived. Levi reached out for the bottled tea that sat on the nightstand, took a few swallows of it and then gazed at Eren as he replaced the drink.

"Well, hotshot? What do you want to do next?"

Eren's mind was a blank. A short while ago, he could have listed at least a dozen things he would have liked to do with Levi. Now all that he could do was stare at him, soaking in the vision of him. Levi's chest glinted where the light slanting in through the blinds fell on his nipple piercings. Eren's gaze was trapped by the sight. God, Levi had some pretty nipples.

He felt a large hand gently press against the small of his back, and he recalled that Erwin was still in the room. The blond bent over a little to speak into Eren's ear. His breath was warm, and it tickled.

"He's yours for the rest of the day and through the night, Eren. Levi will let you do whatever you like...within reason, of course. In fact, I have a collection of things you could use on him in my closet, if you're so inclined."

Eren turned his head and tilted it back to look up at the tall blond. "Things? Like cuffs and toys, you mean?"

Erwin smiled softly and nodded. His eyes flicked to Levi. "We like to experiment with bondage and toys from time to time. Nothing too extreme. It's up to your discretion to decide what to use on him, if anything."

Eren gulped. The closest thing he'd done to playing games like that was to hold one partner's wrists over his head upon request. He wasn't ignorant of the subject matter, though.

"Is there a...you know, a safe word I should know about?"

Erwin and Levi exchanged a glance, and some silent communication took place between them. Eren thought he saw Levi smirk at Erwin ever so slightly before returning his attention to Eren.

"My safe word," Levi informed, "is Albatross. Definitely not something you'd hear me spout off in a regular moment, so if you hear it, that means stop."

Eren nodded. "Got it."

Levi's dick twitched against his stomach, lifting off of it for a moment. The head of it was shiny with precum, and Eren detected a quickening of the nude man's breath. He was eager, still flushed in the face and eying Eren with an inviting look on his face.

Taking his cue, Eren tucked his sated member back into his pants and did them back up. He prudently removed his shoes before crawling onto the bed with Levi, getting on top of him in the process. He didn't even care that Levi had just swallowed his cum; he wanted to taste his lips regardless. Eren stared at Levi for a moment, seeing the quiet challenge and expectation in them. He kissed him, putting more pressure behind the contact of their mouths than he usually would on first contact.

It turned out to be the right call on his part. Levi made a muffled noise of faint surprise in his throat, and he opened his mouth enough to let the younger man's tongue in. Eren could taste the lingering salty/bitter tang of his own spunk in the smaller man's mouth, and that just got him more excited. He stroked and caressed Levi's tongue with his own, relaxing enough to let his weight settle on him more. He could feel Levi's hard cock throbbing against his pelvis. It left a damp spot on Eren's pants where the tip made contact; evidence of Levi's lust.

Levi was an interesting balance between compliant and assertive. He took control of the kiss for a few moments before giving way to Eren again. He started tugging at the student's shirt, and Eren stopped him upon sudden inspiration, grabbing his wrist.

Levi was his until tomorrow. Erwin had said so. He could do almost anything he liked with him, and right now, there was one thing Eren was dying to do.

"No," he husked, breaking the kiss. He pulled back to meet Levi's questioning gaze. "I want to touch you. I want to put my hands all over you, and this time you've got to be the one to stay still."

Levi raised a brow. "Is that so?" He shrugged, and he relaxed against the pillows, his dark hair spreading out where it was longer on the top. "Sure, if that's what you want. I did agree to be your bitch tonight."

Eren snorted before he could stop himself. It was going to take a while for him to get used to Levi's candor, as well as the way he said such things with a completely deadpan expression. Eren got onto his side, propping himself up on one arm as he looked this treat of a man over. He started with Levi's neck, gently running his fingertips over it and feeling his rapid pulse thrumming there. He traced his collarbone over to his shoulder, and he squeezed a little to feel the strength there. Eren could sense the power in this man, and it amazed him that Levi was so willing to surrender his body to another as readily as this.

"How long have you two had this kind of relationship?" asked Eren. He touched Levi's pectorals, admiring how firm and toned they were.

"About five years now," answered Erwin.

Levi nodded. "Yeah, that sounds right."

Now confident that he could ask for more details without spoiling the mood, Eren delved a bit deeper. "So it started around the time you were my age?"

Again, the smaller man nodded. His lids got heavier. He was obviously enjoying Eren's touch. "Maybe a little older. Erwin started instructing here around the middle of my freshman year."

Eren could just picture it; the first look shared between them, the budding sexual tension as their mutual attraction grew day by day. "Who initiated it first?"

He was expecting the answer to be Erwin. He was in for a surprise, though. "Levi did," revealed Erwin. "I was trying to resist the temptation."

Levi opened his eyes slightly wider, and he looked over at the blond—who had seated himself again in the armchair. "Stubborn idiot was trying to be noble. Then I saw him in his swimtrunks for the first time at Spring Break. Cornered him that night. He made some good arguments about morals and repercussions, but I shut him up with a blow job."

Eren chuckled, and he glanced back at Erwin for confirmation of the tale. The blond man had removed his glasses to wipe a smear from them, and he was smiling. "As you've discovered, Eren: Levi's blow jobs are hard to argue against."

"Phenomenal," agreed Eren readily.

He examined Levi again, trying to decide where to put his hands next. The first impulse was the most obvious one. He'd been dying to play with those nipples, and the barbell jewelry in them kept catching his eye.

"Go ahead, Eren," encouraged Erwin in his instructor's voice. The man always seemed to know what people were thinking just by watching their expressions. "What would you like to do?"

Self-conscious again, Eren was nearly overcome by an attack of shyness. Talking out loud about what he wanted to do with a bed partner was another new thing to him. Usually he just did it, not talk about it first. He had the feeling that Erwin was just trying to help him acclimate though, giving him encouragement so that he could feel more at ease with the situation. It was strangely comforting to Eren, because it must have meant Erwin approved of him so far and wanted to see things work out well.

"I want to touch his nipples." Eren acted on that desire instead of waiting for permission. He sensed Erwin move as he reached out to circle the right nipple, staring at it. It was already erect due to the piercing in it, but it tightened further from the stimulation.

"He loves that," murmured a low voice in Eren's ear. Erwin had approached the bed and sat down on the edge of it behind Eren. He didn't try to touch either of them. He just watched and imparted information to Eren.

"Levi has a very sensitive body," Erwin went on. "I see you're just as enchanted with that area as I've always been. We have something in common."

To prove Erwin's point about his sensitivity, Levi's back arched slightly and his eyes went blank. "Nnh..."

"How long have they been pierced?" Eren sat up so that he could fondle the other nipple, taking his time with it. He watched Levi's face as he rubbed, squeezed and traced the buds. Erwin wasn't kidding. There was a kind of helpless surrender in Levi's expression now, the stoic mask steadily slipping to reveal wanton need.

"Since October of last year," explained Erwin. His voice had deepened, becoming breathy with desire. "He agreed to do it for my birthday. I chose the jewelry and did the piercing myself."

That revelation gave Eren pause, and he flicked a stare of disbelief at the blond. "What? I thought you just said _you_ pierced Levi's nipples."

"I did," confirmed Erwin. "Keep playing, Eren. No need to stop on my account."

Eren tweaked Levi's nipples, glancing down at the subject of interest. Levi wasn't quite squirming yet, but he was making soft little sounds of pleasure, his hips rolling slowly in a sinuous manner. He was watching his two companions with heavy-lidded eyes and parted lips, breathing a little faster than before. He had one arm tucked under his head, one leg bent, and everything about him was sensually inviting. Eren didn't know how long he could be satisfied with just touching him. His cock was already beginning to tingle and stir again.

"You actually did the piercing yourself?" Eren tore his eyes off the spectacle of Levi's expression and the breathy sounds of enjoyment he was making. He looked Erwin up and down, taking in his refined appearance doubtfully. "No offense sir, but you don't seem like the type of guy that spent any time training to do body piercings or tattoos."

Erwin gave him a different kind of smile; one that Eren hadn't yet seen on his lips. There was cunning there, and something almost dark. The professor reached up to remove the glasses from his face so that he could regard Eren with his naked eyes. Without those glasses, he looked a little different. If his hair were mussed a bit and with a touch of five o'clock shadow, Eren could almost imagine him looking more like a rebel and less like a gentleman.

"I wasn't always as straight-laced as I am now, Eren."

The man said it in a way that was caressing and dangerous, all at once. Eren gulped. "Oh. Well, yeah. I mean, you're older than us and I'm sure you grew into who you are now."

"Lots of people make the mistake of thinking Erwin's a gentleman," advised Levi breathlessly. "I saw through it, though."

"Yes, you did," agreed Erwin. His attention shifted to Eren again. "I won't claim that I was a 'bad boy', but some of my forays into the artistic world did lead to experience in body art. I _did_ pierce Levi's nipples. On my birthday. That was his gift to me, and my mark on him."

Eren couldn't suppress a shiver. He impulsively gave each of Levi's piercings a careful tug, provoking a gasp from him. He looked down at the alumnus, fascinated by the way his face now bore an expression of utter surrender and ecstasy. Levi's dick was twitching again, dripping precum. Eren hadn't even touched it yet, and it looked like...

"He can come just from nipple play," informed Erwin as if reading his mind. His gaze dropped to Levi, and he watched the alumnus' reactions to Eren's touching. "One of the reasons I requested the piercings. They're known to increase sensitivity for some people and fortunately, that's proven to be true for Levi."

As if in agreement, Levi moaned softly. He started to reach for Eren, but he restrained himself and relaxed again in repose when Erwin shushed him warningly.

"I also admit that the idea of his nipples being permanently hard was of special interest to me."

Eren didn't doubt that. The erect state of Levi's nipples was one of the first things he'd noticed about the man when he initially saw him. Of course, not everyone was going to stare hard enough at Levi to pay attention to such a detail, but anyone whose interests could be piqued by someone like Levi was sure to notice it. Maybe that was also part of Erwin's motivation; to tease interested parties and catch their attention. Eren imagined what it must be like at the beach or the swimming pool, when Levi's chest was bared to the public. Going by what he'd learned so far about Erwin, it probably gave the man a thrill to know people were admiring his "territory".

It didn't even creep Eren out. Maybe it should have, but something about Erwin—despite certain behaviors that might seem creepy from other men—inspired trust. That of course made Eren wonder if he was letting the man's charisma blind him from danger. He wasn't the sort of person to easily trust someone he barely knew. His mother would have warned him against doing so, especially since Eren's first instinct was usually to be suspicious of people until he got to know them.

"What was it like?" Eren asked Levi, watching him again. His groin started to throb again with lust. "Did it hurt when he did it?"

"Not...exactly," gasped Levi. His eyes slitted open to look up at Erwin. "It was more like a jolt. Hit me to my toes and made 'em curl. Blondie's better with the piercing tools than I expected. He's got a really deft touch."

Erwin smiled in a satisfied manner. "He came both times."

Eren blinked, looking to Levi for confirmation of that.

"Yeah, fine. I came," admitted Levi with a sigh. "Made a fucking mess all over myself, bastard."

That made Eren smile. Evidently, Levi didn't enjoy a total loss of control as much as he alluded. Or rather, he had a love/hate relationship with it. Eren decided to capitalize on that, wanting to see how much control he could sap from the man. He scooted down on the bed, positioning his knees between Levi's thighs. He rubbed one of them against Levi's naked groin, getting a little precum on his pants. Levi squirmed and tossed his head, his breath huffing between pursed lips. Eren rubbed again, keeping his gaze locked on his companion's blushing face.

"Can I make you come just by doing this?" wondered Eren aloud. "I'd like to find out."

"Unh...t-touch it," demanded Levi in a strained voice. "Please, Eren...or let me touch it."

"I'm touching it," Eren pointed out. He kept brushing his knee against the swollen, twitching length of the other man's cock.

"Teasing is more like it," growled Levi.

He started to reach down to fondle himself, but Erwin gave a sharp shake of his head and a quiet reminder. "Not without his permission, love."

Levi's trembling hand stopped just short of contact with his genitals, and he dropped it to the sheets and squeezed them. Eren re-adjusted his position, setting one leg outside of Levi's and getting half on top of him. He closed in on Levi's right nipple, and he blew gently on it. Levi's flesh pebbled and he gasped. Unable to resist, Eren swirled the tip of his tongue around the bud, exploring the texture and taste of it. The knobs of the barbell were cool against his tongue, but Levi's flesh was heated. He squirmed a little as Eren suckled him, little sounds of need arising in his throat.

Eren teased the other nipple with his fingertips while he lapped and sucked on the right one. He kept brushing his thigh against the smaller man's genitals, half tempted to grope them but curious to find out if he could really make Levi come just by pleasuring his nipples. Eren felt another tremor go through his companion, and from the corner of his eye, he saw a large hand reach down from out of his line of sight to stroke Levi's hair. He didn't mind Erwin's participation. It didn't feel as weird to him as he'd anticipated.

"Hah...nnnhh," moaned Levi, bucking against Eren's thigh. "Gonna come..."

"Holy shit, really?" Levi's nipple popped out of Eren's mouth as he blurted the question, and he quickly resumed, now ridiculously excited. He looked up at Levi's face, watching as a blissful expression overcame the pale, blushing visage. He was really going to come. Fuck, he was beautiful. Now fully erect again, Eren grinded against Levi impulsively. Maybe _he_ was going to come from this, too. He'd never been so readily excited by a partner before.

"Eren," came the breathy call, and then Levi's back arched. His cock pulsed against Eren's thigh, followed by the sticky dampness of his spunk.

Eren smiled around the taut bud he was still suckling. He didn't care about the mess Levi had made on his pants. Seeing that look on his face and watching him orgasm more than made up for it. He kept going until Levi went limp beneath him, closing his eyes and panting in release. Erwin returned to his seat in the chair, and he watched silently as Eren levered himself up and kissed Levi deeply. Their tongues fenced, and Levi's hands started exploring Eren's body. The younger male decided to allow it; he'd accomplished his goal and he was getting very restless now.

It was then that Eren realized that while he'd had the foresight to buy protection, he'd left the shopping bag behind in the taxi he'd taken over here. He groaned and cursed himself, breaking the kiss to drop his forehead against Levi's shoulder.

"Damn it, I'm so stupid."

"What's the problem?" Levi's voice was still raspy. He poked Eren's shoulder when the freshman didn't immediately answer him. "Oi, speak up kid."

Eren lifted his head to look down at Levi, and he braced himself for admonishment. "I forgot the protection. I picked some up, but—"

"Is that all?" Levi smirked faintly, turning his head to regard Erwin. "Do you believe this guy? He thinks we don't already have that covered."

"There's nothing wrong with being responsible," reasoned the professor with a smirk of his own. His eyes focused on Eren again, intense and wise. "It's good that you took the initiative Eren, but as Levi said; we always have protection and lubricant on hand. Just relax while I fetch it for you."

Eren relaxed, feeling a bit foolish for panicking the way he had. The thought of not being able to finish what he'd started all because of a moment's carelessness had really upset him, though. He didn't even give a damn about whether the cab driver found his bag of goodies and got a laugh out of it. He just wanted to fuck this sensual man and lose himself in the experience.

"Interesting how your eyes change color like that," observed Levi softly.

Eren looked down at him again to find Levi studying him with quiet fascination. The sleepy pewter gaze was fixated on his, and Levi reached up to trace the outer corners of Eren's eyes.

"They do that when I get upset," excused Eren. He smiled sheepishly, blushing over the way Levi was staring at him. "I was really pissed at myself when I thought I'd screwed this whole thing up."

"You're too quick to jump to conclusions," advised Levi. "Why the hell would you think we'd invite you over for this without having condoms available? Think we were born yesterday?"

"N-no, of course not. I just..." Eren sighed, meeting Levi's gaze again. "I really like you, and I really, really want this to happen. I guess I just wasn't thinking clearly."

Levi tugged at the hem of Eren's shirt to pull it up, and the younger man helped him remove it without hesitation. Once Eren's chest and torso was bared, Levi started running his hands all over it. He lifted his head off the pillow, cupping the back of Eren's head to draw him down for another kiss. Eren's head was starting to spin from it, and when Levi's palms roughly slid over his nipples, he groaned into his mouth. He heard Erwin's soft footfalls return to the bedroom, and something landed on the bed beside him.

Eren glanced to the side, and he saw a string of packaged condoms lying on the comforter beside a tube of water based personal lubricant. Apparently, Erwin thought they might need more than one rubber for this encounter. Eren doubted his virility was all _that_ impressive, but having extras was a good call in case one of them tore.

He reached for the packaging, still devouring Levi's kisses. His pants came unzipped, and he knew he'd better get started on prepping his companion soon. He didn't know how long he could keep holding back.

* * *

"Fuck...ah, fuck!"

Levi surely wasn't disappointed; that much, Erwin could tell. He was impressed when Eren began his preparations by rimming Levi. He didn't ask for any restraints to use on the smaller man, but Erwin hadn't really expected him to jump straight into that. They both needed the chance to explore one another before Levi or Eren tried playing around with bondage.

The blond refreshed his drink while Eren was still tonguing Levi. He could hear his lover's exclamations from the kitchen while he poured the drink, and he smiled. Levi didn't generally get loud like this unless his partner did an exceptional job at pushing his buttons. So far, it seemed like Eren had good instincts. Erwin adjusted himself in his slacks to relieve some of the pressure on his groin, and he went back into the bedroom to enjoy the rest of the show.

He stopped at the threshold and stared at the spectacle before him. Levi was lying prostrate on the bed with his ass in the air, and Eren had both hands on his cheeks to spread him open while he rimmed him. Eren even took it a step further and licked the smaller man's dangling sack every now and then, causing a visible shudder to course through Levi.

Nice. Very, very nice. Eren was a pleaser, and that was essential in order for this to work. The first step into this potential arrangement was going better than he could have hoped. The next one would be to find out if Eren was as good at sharing Levi as he was at pleasuring him, and of course, whether he would be willing to accept Erwin as a lover as well.

Eren started to finger Levi, having already lubed up the first two digits of his left hand. He kept kissing Levi's bottom as he started pumping his fingers inside of him, kept licking and sucking on his balls. Levi was beginning to moan steadily, and Erwin watched a glistening drop of precum fall from between his spread thighs to dampen the bedding.

"Are you going to come again, pet?" husked Erwin impulsively, knowing the signs.

"Dunno," came the tense response. "I...hah! Oh God!"

Levi's head bowed and his shoulders tensed and trembled. Eren must have found his sweet spot, and evidently he'd figured that out as well. He was taking advantage of it.

"Right there, baby?" Eren inquired, confirming Erwin's suspicion.

"Y-yeah," whined Levi. He started rocking back into the younger male's thrusts, his lean, powerful thighs bunching and his ass flexing. "Eren...so good. More..."

"I'll give you more," promised Eren.

His pumping sped up, and Erwin got out of his chair again to have a better look at his face. The attractive young man was flushed with passion like their companion, his brilliant green eyes fixated on Levi and turning a golden hue. Eren's skin was an attractive, light bronze pigment in tone, and Erwin found himself reaching out to stroke his shoulder. He hadn't intended to touch him much while this encounter occurred, but he couldn't help himself.

"He wants you inside of him," observed Erwin, bending over to speak into the heated young man's ear.

"Fuck yes," rasped Levi in agreement.

"You're not stretched enough," argued Eren. His voice was gentle, and he took his left hand off Levi's ass to stroke his tense back. "Just a little longer, okay?"

"Gonna fucking burst," panted Levi.

"I'm getting close too," assured Eren in a rasp. "I want you so bad, you have no idea."

Erwin looked down at Eren's crotch, which was sticking out from his pants like a banner. They'd undone his pants and his exposed arousal was flushed, damp and rubbing up against the back of Levi's thigh. It was smearing viscous fluid over the smaller man's fair skin, leaving a shiny trail.

"Levi can take more than you think," suggested Erwin softly. "He adjusts fast, Eren. You don't have to handle him quite so carefully."

Eren met the older man's gaze, and the desperation in his face made Erwin feel a little sorry for him. He smiled, and he took his glasses off to pocket them. "It's all right, Eren. He'll let you know if it's too much. Trust us."

That was apparently the last temptation Eren could take. He nodded, and he withdrew his fingers from within Levi's body to reach for the condoms. His hand was shaking, and Erwin took pity on him and helped him out.

"Allow me," suggested the professor. "That is, if you feel comfortable enough to let me."

Eren hesitated for all of two seconds before giving another nod. Erwin tore one of the condom packages free from the others and he opened it up deftly. He retrieved the latex from inside, pinched the tip and gently gripped Eren's arousal with one hand. Eren shuddered, and it was all Erwin could do to avoid letting his touch linger for longer than necessary. He slid the condom on for Eren, released him and stroked his lower back before reaching for the lubricant tube. Eren watched, breathing heavily as the blond smeared the gel over his sheathed cock. Levi was also watching, looking back over his shoulder as Erwin liberally applied the lube.

"It isn't usually my practice to be this hands-on during first encounters," reminded Erwin softly. He gave Eren a crooked little smile. "That should give you an idea of how well you're doing, Eren."

"I'm...trying," gasped the young man. His eyes fluttered shut, the lashes concealing the green-gold of his eyes. "Sir...I'm not going to last if you keep doing that."

"Don't fuck him up," warned Levi, also sounding rough and desperate. "If he comes before he puts it in me, it's all on you."

Erwin chuckled, and he took his cue. He released Eren and straightened up with a polite gesture towards Levi. "Then by all means, continue."

Eren gripped himself and got into position behind Levi, slipping one hand underneath the smaller man's hips to guide him into the pose he wanted. He stopped and shook his head a moment later, causing Erwin to tilt his head with interest.

"No, I don't want to be staring at your back," Eren announced. He urged Levi onto his back. "I want to see your face the whole time. Every expression."

"Hmm, you're a fan of intimacy," purred Levi, his lids drooping a bit with intrigue. He spread his legs and gazed up at Eren as the other man settled on top of him. "Erwin likes to see my face when he's putting it to me also."

"I don't blame him one bit." Eren's hips flexed as Levi's thighs cradled them. He reached down again while Levi bent his knees and rested his ankles on Eren's shoulders, and the freshman paused again for a second. "You'll let me know if I hurt you?"

"I'll knock your ass out cold if you hurt me." Levi smirked up at Eren. "You'd only make the mistake once."

"Uh, right."

Erwin fought back a laugh. He might be the dominant one in their relationship, but Levi was probably twice as intimidating to new lovers as Erwin could ever hope to be. He knew what he wanted, and woe betide the fool that failed to deliver it.

He could tell the moment Eren penetrated Levi by the way his lover groaned and clutched at him. While not quite as thick and long as Erwin was, Eren was plenty endowed enough to satisfy Levi's girth preference. Erwin watched his lover's toes curl, heard his hitching gasp, and he knew Eren was giving him that moment of sheer bliss Levi always enjoyed when he was filled just right. He heard Levi groan, and Erwin reached down between his own partly spread thighs to cup himself. He stared as Eren began to move, his ass tightening with the first careful pump.

What a degenerate creep he was, to get off so easily on the sight of his younger lover being fucked by another man. What a filthy pervert, what a sick, sad bastard...and yet he couldn't look away nor deny the thrill of it.

"You feel so good," moaned Eren, thrusting again. "Levi...so tight!"

"So do you," came the low, gasping response. Levi's hands squeezed Eren's ass hard enough to leave indentions on the cheeks. His dark head started bobbing, just visible over Eren's tense shoulder as the younger man started thrusting faster. "Here...let me shift a little and...hah! Ah, fuck!"

"Gotcha," groaned Eren. "Right there, huh? That's the spot."

Levi apparently lost his ability to respond with any coherency. He clutched at Eren tightly, and he bit down on his left shoulder, just enough to make Eren gasp without deterring him from his lovemaking.

"Oh, Levi!"

Erwin couldn't resist any longer. He unzipped his pants, sucked in a few calming breaths and exposed himself. He started stroking off to the sight of the two of them. Nobody in their right minds could have possibly sat there and witnessed something this hot without diddling a bit. Erwin generally considered himself to be a man of some class, but this was just too much. The bed started creaking and knocking against the wall when Eren's passion increased. Levi's cries grew in volume. His calves bunched, his back curled and his voice became muffled from him pressing his face against Eren's sweaty chest.

"Harder," begged Levi, whimpering. "Give it to me hard...and fast."

Eren's hips pumped with greater velocity. He started making a growling sound between grunts. He was just as much caught up in the moment as Levi, and Erwin's fist jerked faster over his swollen cock.

"You two," gasped Erwin, "are amazing together."

"Can't agree more," grunted Eren. "Shit...I don't know how long...Levi, stop squeezing...oh fuck!"

Levi was too engrossed in sensation to pay any mind to the warning. Erwin knew from plenty of personal experience just how fantastically his lover could work those inner muscles. Eren didn't have a prayer of lasting, and that was fine. Knowing Levi, he'd have him up and ready for more again for at least one more round before the night was finished.

"You brat," gasped Erwin teasingly at his lover.

"Turning you on too much?" came the challenging response. Levi's bluster was stolen a half a second later when Eren balanced himself on one arm to reach down and start stroking the smaller man. "H-hey...oooh...oooh... _ooooooooh_!"

"Come for me," growled Eren. "Please, Levi. Come for me, baby."

"Sh...itttt!"

Levi bucked beneath the determined college student, losing the battle. Erwin also tensed, fixated on the sight of his lover's face screwing up with his orgasm. He came at nearly precisely the moment Levi did. Erwin cupped his hand over his junk to try and contain the mess, grunting as he spurted into his palm. Levi gave another shudder, and then Eren moaned loud and hard, hips jerking one last time. He collapsed on top of Levi, quaking and gasping as he spent himself.

"Damn," rasped Eren. "Oh damn, that was amazing."

Levi then acted in a way that gave the final signal to Erwin that he was very much into this arrangement. He stroked Eren's thick brown hair in a lover's manner, tempering his usually sully behavior with a gentleness that he only reserved for a certain special few. Still breathing heavily, Erwin watched his lover soothingly ease their companion into the afterglow, and he knew he'd made the right call.

* * *

It had been everything Levi hoped for when he agreed to set up this arrangement. Eren Jaeger was beautiful, eager to please and open-minded. What was even better, his lover approved of him. They showered together after having sex once more, and Levi was so worn out and relaxed that he hardly had any trouble relaxing in his new companion's arms. He knew the drill. As much as he wanted to tempt Erwin to join them in the bed, his lover would stay on the couch tonight. That was Erwin's way, to let Levi have his interactions first, decide how he felt about it and save the three-way relations for after he was sure Levi was comfortable with their pick.

Levi bedded down with Eren, sore but satisfied. The younger man seemed surprised when Levi cuddled up to him and lay his head on his chest, but Eren didn't question it. He embraced Levi, nuzzled the crown of his head and relaxed with a little sigh. Eren fell asleep first, his breathing becoming deep and even as midnight approached. Levi's ears perked when he heard the bedroom door open, and he gazed up at Erwin with silent, glittering eyes when the blond approached the bedside quietly.

Erwin's handsome features were relaxed. He offered a soft smile to Levi, reached down and caressed his face. There was a question in his expression, and Levi understood without needing the inquiry verbalized.

"Let's keep him," whispered Levi.

Erwin nodded, his sapphire gaze flicking to the softly snoring young man that Levi was curled up against. His hand went out, and he brushed a lock of rich brown hair from Eren's closed eyes. "I agree."

"Glad you feel that way." Levi yawned, covering his mouth with a fist. "FYI, I think he'd be okay with you doing him at some point."

Erwin glanced at Eren again. "Perhaps. Only time will tell."

He bent over to kiss Levi softly on the lips. "I don't have to have him that way in order to agree with this relationship, though."

Levi stretched a bit. "No, you've always been kind of a kiss-ass."

Erwin snorted. "Blame it on my infatuation with you. Just watching you with him was...very fulfilling."

Levi grabbed Erwin's hand as the blond made a move to withdraw it from Eren. "Hey, this is a three-way deal. Eren knows it. I'd never leave you out of the equation, okay?"

Erwin bestowed one of those dazzling, kind smiles. "I know that, Levi. I wouldn't have agreed with this if I thought it were otherwise."

Levi nodded. He squeezed Erwin's hand, and then he cuddled up to their oblivious companion again. He had never been good at expressing himself, and Erwin had never needed him to play with words. A simple touch, a glance...that was all it really took between them. "Is that couch going to be comfortable enough tonight?"

"It's fine, Levi. I _did_ specifically buy that couch to sleep on in situations like this."

"Yeah, but—"

"It's fine," reiterated the blond. He bent down to kiss Levi on the forehead. He looked at Eren again. "You two are very cute together, you know."

"Heh. We'd be cuter with you in this bed too."

Erwin lowered his gaze. "In time."

Levi shrugged it off, knowing better than to push the issue. "Goodnight, blondie."

* * *

Eren woke the next morning to find himself alone in the bed. He located his discarded clothing neatly folded on the chair Erwin had sat in the evening before, and he hastily got dressed before doing his best to tidy up the bedding. He entertained thoughts of trying to sneak quietly out, but he found Levi and Erwin sitting down in the living room when he attempted to make his escape. The aroma of fresh coffee was in the air, and Erwin was sipping on a mug of it.

"Good morning Eren," greeted the blond without glancing up from the newspaper he had spread out in his lap. "Help yourself to some coffee, if you like. There's a cup sitting on the island counter in the kitchen for you. The pot is to the right of the sink, underneath the window."

"Um, thank you." Eren didn't know what else to say or do. Levi was on the couch beside Erwin, curled up against him like a cat and clad in his black, green-trimmed robe. Erwin was dressed in a set of deep blue pajamas, and he had his glasses on. The two of them cut such a domestic picture it was a little shocking.

Erwin looked up at him, peering over the top of his glasses. "You don't have to drink the coffee if you don't want to. There's juice and milk in the fridge if you would prefer."

"Oh, I like coffee," assured Eren, blushing. "I just...uh..."

"Were trying to slip out un-noticed?" guessed Erwin softly, smirking a tad.

"No. Well, maybe a little." Eren shrugged. "I'm sorry. I guess it was rude of me to even try."

Erwin and Levi glanced at each other. The smaller of the two shrugged, and Erwin spoke up again. "I think," he said, "that it was a normal impulse to have on the morning after such an encounter. You don't need to apologize for feeling a bit awkward."

Eren disagreed with that. They'd treated him to far more than a nice meal, none of them had been drunk or under the influence, and what happened occurred between consenting adults. He felt like a coward for trying to sneak off.

"If you don't want to stay, we aren't gonna force you," Levi said. He tilted his head, his pale gaze roaming over Eren with intimate familiarity. "That being said, you should take your shoes off and stay a while."

Eren looked uncertainly at Erwin, who nodded his agreement.

"Yes, please consider staying; at least for breakfast. Levi and I were just talking about what to start the day with."

Erwin reached out to casually stroke Levi's hair, and the younger man rested his head on his shoulder trustingly. Again, Eren thought they looked very domestic together. They made a gorgeous couple, and he wondered how he could ever fit in with them. Could he really join that picture, or would he just end up being a third wheel?

"Okay," Eren heard himself say. "I'll stay."

He didn't have any other plans for the weekend anyhow, and despite his uncertainties, he was really curious to see how these two interacted as a couple.

* * *

They had pancakes for breakfast with some banana slices on top. Afterwards, Eren got a better idea of how Levi and Erwin acted behind closed doors. Erwin, he discovered, had an odd sense of humor and Levi seemed to enjoy insulting him for it. Eren thought he was being serious the first time Levi called Erwin a big creepy dork, but then he caught sight of the tiniest little smile on his lips, and Erwin had a sparkle of amusement in his eyes as well.

It didn't take long for Eren to come to the conclusion that these two men were very much in love with each other, and that led him to wonder even more why they were both so bound and determined to being him into the mix. It took him until noon to finally work up the courage to say something, and when he did, he said it to Erwin while Levi was putting some laundry into the washing machine.

"Professor Smith, I hope I don't offend you by asking—"

"Just call me Erwin off campus," encouraged the blond.

"Right. Erwin. Uh, you and Levi are really tight. It's obvious without either of you needing to even say it."

"Yes, we are." Erwin smiled. "Levi is very important to me, and I to him."

Eren hesitated, frowning.

"You still have doubts that I'm all right with this?" pressed Erwin after watching him for a moment.

"I...don't know how to say it without sounding judgmental...which I'm not," Eren tried to explain. "It's just that seeing you two around each other this morning, watching the way you look at each other, it's obvious that you've got a deep bond. It isn't just sex between you two."

"That's true," agreed the older man. "We love each other very much."

"There's what I'm having some confusion about," admitted Eren softly, glancing at the hallway that Levi had gone down. He leaned a little closer on the couch to Erwin, pitching his words just for his ears. "I mean, Levi is so...and _you're_ so..." He shook his head helplessly, scanning Erwin up and down. "Why would you need anyone else?"

"Ah, I see." Erwin seemed to consider it for a moment, and he swirled the ice cubes around in his glass of lemon soda. "I wish I could give you a simple answer. The closest explanation to that would be to say that people can love more than one person, but that doesn't really cover it all. We've always been polyamorous, but while other partners have come and gone, Levi and I have remained constant since we first got together. This is why we have rules, and why mutual approval of another partner is imperative between us. I know that Levi already explained most of this to you, but let's face it: he isn't the best at explaining delicately."

"No, he's more the 'hit you in the face with it' type," agreed Eren with a little smile. "I think I understand, though."

"Do you?" Erwin's head listed slightly to the left as he watched him.

"I know my place," assured Eren. "I know this is a trial basis we're on right now."

"That's one way of putting it, but allow me to frame it in another way. In any relationship, it takes time to get to know each other. You work your way into it together. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. The same holds true in this relationship."

Erwin shrugged and smiled, leaning back. "Try not to think of it so much as an audition as the early stages of dating someone new. You might feel more at ease that way."

"I wouldn't have thought of it that way," admitted the younger man, eyes widening expressively.

Erwin chuckled. "Because you're still thinking of it as some sort of test. Perhaps my being your instructor isn't really helping matters."

"It's a little strange," muttered Eren. He met Erwin's eyes again. "What would really help me is to know how I'm doing so far with you. I mean in this situation."

"I understood what you meant." Erwin sipped his drink. "You want to know where you stand with me now, Eren?"

God, did he? It was kind of a risk, but Erwin wasn't an easy man to read. Not one to back down easily from chance or challenge, Eren nodded. "Yes. I need to know if you invited me to stay because you really wanted me to, or because you're just trying to be polite."

Erwin put his drink aside on the side table. He slid his arm around Eren, urged him closer and then kissed him. It wasn't a chaste kiss by any means. The man's tongue was rolling in Eren's mouth before he could fully grasp what was happening. After a second, Eren relaxed and kissed him back. He could taste the lemony tang of the beverage Erwin had been drinking. The subtle fragrance of aftershave that Eren had detected earlier on the blond was more potent in their proximity to each other, and Eren found that he liked it.

The kiss lasted for several heartbeats before Erwin pulled away to regard him. Both of them were breathing a little heavier, and the blond's eyes seemed a more intense blue color.

"For the record," stated Erwin softly, "I don't kiss people like that if I'm not interested."

And what a kiss it was. Eren was properly reeling from it, and heat pooled in his pelvic area. He caught movement from the corner of his eye before he could try and formulate a response, and he looked up to see Levi coming back into the living room. Eren's face heated, and though he really had no reason to be embarrassed or feel guilty, it was an instinctive reaction. He and Levi _had_ spent the night fucking each others' brains out, after all.

"We were...um, we were just..."

"Clearing up some confusion," finished Erwin calmly for the student. "Eren, did I sufficiently answer your question?"

"Yeah. Question answered."

Levi hardly batted a lash. He approached and joined them on the couch, now dressed in casual clothing of blue jeans and a t-shirt. He plopped down between the two of them, beckoned Eren wordlessly with a finger and kissed him as soon as he leaned in compliantly. Eren saw Erwin's hand settle on Levi's thigh as the two of them kissed, watched it slide up toward the groin. Levi put one hand on it—not to deter but to encourage. He made a low, purring sound as Erwin started to fondle his package, and his tongue darted against Eren's faster.

Eren resisted the slightest bit, just for a second, when Levi reached for one of his hands with his free one. He understood what the smaller male wanted when Levi guided it up underneath his t-shirt. Levi broke the kiss with him to turn his head and exchange one with Erwin. He made a nasally sound of pleasure when Eren started fondling his nipples under his shirt.

What started as an awkward morning after soon became a heated make out session on the couch, with Levi being the primary subject between Eren and Erwin. It was an unexpected occurrence, but exciting as hell.

* * *

"Well, that was an unplanned little tryst," remarked Erwin some time later. Eren had just left because his clothes got soiled and he didn't feel right about borrowing something of Erwin's to wear. "I thought you wanted to give Eren a few days to adjust before engaging him again."

"That was originally the plan." Levi sighed, and he finished putting his clothing back on. He winced as he did up his pants.

Erwin turned to look at him with a smirk, still buttoning up his shirt. "So what caused the sudden change of plans?"

Levi narrowed his eyes at him. "You did, dumb ass. I came back after getting dressed to find you two tongue-fencing on the couch. What'd you expect? I'm not made of iron."

"To be fair, it was only meant to be one kiss," defended Erwin with a shrug. "I had other plans too."

"Yeah, you said you were going to wait until the next time Eren joins us to make your move." Levi raised a brow at him. "So now the question is what got into _you_?"

"He had some doubts concerning my sincerity," explained the blond. "I wanted to show him that I'm as interested as you are and harbor no jealous feelings. Of course, I wasn't expecting it to end with you naked between us—"

"All right," grumbled Levi, but Erwin still wasn't finished.

"—Much less consecutively blowing us both—"

"I get it!"

"—and then bending over the couch and demanding that I fuck you while you finished off Eren."

"..." Levi folded his arms over his chest huffily.

Erwin smiled at the blush now staining his lover's pale cheeks. "You're so cute, Levi."

"Fuck you."

"You already did," countered Erwin mildly. He winked at the his flustered partner. "A fine job you did of it, too."

Erwin started to turn, and something smacked him in the back of the shoulder. He faced Levi again and glanced down at the shoe now lying on the floor. "No need to be so temperamental about it, pet. We may have failed to stick with our plans, but I don't think it turned out half bad. Besides, you initiated it."

"That's not how I remember it," argued Levi. "Let's revisit it, shall we? You kissed Eren, and then you groped my crotch when I sat down with the two of you. Who do you think you're fooling?"

"I put my hand on your leg." Erwin kept a straight face, but he was actually trying hard not to laugh. "You moved it to your crotch."

"Bullshit!"

"I'm sure even Eren noticed," insisted Erwin. "And then you grabbed his hand and put it under your shirt while kissing both of us, one after the other. I think the message you sent was pretty clear to both of us."

"I...shit." Levi averted his gaze, flushing brighter. Even now after being together for nearly five years, he still couldn't win many arguments with Erwin.

Erwin closed the distance between them. He put his hands on Levi's waist, and he gazed down at him with fond blue eyes. "I think in this instance, the truth is we both fired the starting pistol. I was just surprised that it went that far, that fast."

"Yeah," sighed Levi. "Me too. Maybe I was trying to help the guy get acclimated to our arrangement too. Ended up thinking with my dick and that was that."

Erwin bent over to give him a kiss. "Let's not make something good into a tragedy. All that really happened was the initiation of something we'd already intended for later, and Eren certainly seemed to enjoy it."

Levi shrugged. "Hopefully. I thought his face was going to explode when he saw how much cream he got on his pants."

Erwin laughed.

* * *

-To be continued


	7. Chapter 7: Sparring, Piercings and Pamplets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More smut, yay!

Three nights later, Eren still couldn't get the encounters of the weekend out of his head. It wasn't just the physical parts that kept replaying in his head; it was _all_ of it. The teasing, the conversations, the stories he'd been told about how Levi and Erwin met. The story of how Levi's nipples got pierced was especially fascinating to Eren.

He was coming to accept the fact that he very much wanted this three way relationship to happen. It was impossible to deny whenever he thought of the last interactions he'd shared with Levi and Erwin in the latter's home. It had come as a shock to him at first because he thought their time together was supposed to be about him and Levi, with Erwin observing.

Seeing the blond start feeling his hot little boyfriend up had gotten Eren so worked up he nearly popped the button on his jeans. Then everything got more heated, and the next thing Eren knew, he and Erwin were _both_ helping Levi out of his clothes and taking turns kissing and fondling him. Erwin jerked him off while Eren pleasured his nipples and then Levi came in Erwin's hand and insisted on getting the two of them off as well.

Then there was the rest of it: Eren sitting on the couch with Levi bent over him with his ass in the air. Erwin fucking Levi while the raven-haired male sucked Eren off, his sweet moans of pleasure vibrating around Eren's cock. Eren didn't have the best vantage point to see the behind action up close, but he'd seen the size of Erwin's dick before the man put on a condom and got started. No wonder Levi was hoarse by the time they were all satisfied. Having a cock that size ramming him from behind while taking Eren down his throat had to do a number on his vocal chords.

Levi had come twice; once while being felt up by Eren and Erwin, and again while getting "serviced" by both of their cocks. The spunk on Eren's pants by the end of it wasn't even his own, in fact. Levi had swallowed all of it when Eren came. What got on Eren's clothes came from Levi after he decided to reach between the guy's legs and stroke him to help him come again. Eren hadn't even thought about it; he'd just wiped his hand on his pants after finishing Levi off. What got him so embarrassed about it was the thought that immediately popped into his head once he looked at the evidence of Levi's pleasure and decided he was never going to wash those jeans again.

Eren used the excuse that neither of his hosts' clothing would likely fit him and he didn't want to be a bother. It was a good enough excuse, he supposed. He sure as hell didn't want to blurt out that he wanted to frame his pants as a keepsake. As it was, he felt like a ridiculous pervert for actually considering doing that, and he ended up washing those pants with the rest of his laundry Sunday night. That had been embarrassing in of itself because he'd had to use the community Laundromat on campus to do it, and there were other people there when he arrived. Eren had thrown his clothes into the nearest open washer and bundled his soiled pants up tight so that none of the other students around him would see the stain and guess what it was.

Of course, he'd had a class with Erwin as his instructor since the weekend, and he'd blushed self-consciously each time the handsome professor glanced his way. For his part, Erwin hadn't done anything so far to give away their scandalous, off-campus activities. He'd treated Eren like any other student, and if his gaze lingered a second or two longer on him in class, Eren doubted anyone took notice of it.

It wasn't until the next morning when he woke up and joined Armin in the kitchen that Eren knew at least one person had suspicions. Armin kept glancing at him as they ate their breakfast, looking like he wanted to say something but wasn't sure how to bring it up. Eren finally got tired of his covert looks, and he spoke up first.

"Okay, what is it?" demanded Eren. "You keep eyeballing me. Was I sleepwalking last night or something?"

Armin winced. "Well, no. I just heard you making some noise in your sleep."

Eren furrowed his brows. "Why does that have you looking all shifty and uncomfortable? People make noise sometimes when they're sleeping. You used to hold whole conversations with me without even remembering doing it when we'd have sleepovers as kids."

"Yes, but I thought...ah, never mind."

"Spill it," insisted Eren. "Otherwise I'm going to be wondering all day long and I have some hard classes today that I need to pay attention in."

Armin sighed. "Okay. Just try not to get mad."

Eren shrugged. "My temper isn't that bad. You act like I lash out at my friends all the time or something."

"I know you don't, but when you get upset or embarrassed, you've been known to."

"Am I really that bad? I'm not going to bite your head off, Armin. Just tell me what's bothering you."

The blond swallowed his last bite of cereal before answering. "All right, just remember you insisted. I thought you had someone in your bedroom with you last night. At least, for a moment I thought so. I found that peculiar, since we both agreed that we'd warn each other if we were bringing someone home."

"Yeah, we agreed on that." Eren frowned. He certainly couldn't remember making any noise after going to bed, but if he was asleep, maybe he did. "Why would you think I had someone in there with me, though? Unless you thought you heard another voice?"

"No, but I heard you speak a name," admitted Armin. "Two of them, in fact. That's when I decided you must have been dreaming or...maybe talking to someone on the phone."

"Like who?" Eren started blushing. He could easily guess which two names he might have spouted off in his sleep, but he wasn't going to jump right out and tell Armin anything.

"One was Levi. The other was Professor Smith."

Eren had actually hoped that Armin's modesty would prevent him from openly saying it like that. He just eyed his friend cautiously for a minute, his brain scrambling to come up with some believable excuse. Armin already knew about his crush on Levi, but he shouldn't have picked up on his attraction to Erwin this damned fast.

"Okay," Eren said slowly. "What would I be doing on the phone with the professor at that time of night? I had to have been dreaming about class or something."

Armin looked down at his bowl and the milk left over in it. "I don't think it was about class, the way you sounded." He looked up from the bowl again, searching Eren's face. "I didn't stand by the door and listen in, but I heard enough."

Eren's face was now fairly burning with heat. "Just what are you saying, Armin?"

The blond smiled in that strange way of his that sometimes gave people the creeps, but Eren knew it for an expression of satisfaction upon arriving at an accurate conclusion. "You don't have to be embarrassed, Eren. A lot of people develop crushes on their instructors."

"So you think I had a wet dream," mused Eren. He probably did, but it had probably featured recollection of very real events that Eren's imagination didn't need to fabricate. "Uh, that makes sense, I guess. The guy's really good-looking and well-spoken."

"And he's an authority figure." Armin shrugged. "I just wanted you to know in case you fall asleep somewhere else and it happens again where other people can hear it."

"Oh. Yeah, I didn't think about that."

It was already mortifying enough with Armin. Eren would die of embarrassment if any of his other peers heard him calling out like that in his sleep. "I'll try to be careful. Is there anything I could take to...you know...make it so I don't dream?"

Armin blinked. "Well, possibly. Nothing we could get our hands on legally, though. I don't think having nighttime emissions would count with a psychiatrist as something traumatic enough to prescribe medication over."

Eren sighed. Well, it was worth a shot. He was just going to have to figure out a way to suppress his urges better.

* * *

"Oh, come _on_!"

Eren muttered the complaint beneath his breath when he found out who his wrestling opponent for training was going to be for the day. Levi was wearing a white muscle shirt and a pair of loose black track pants, just like everyone else. He smirked quietly at Eren when the coach finished lining everyone up in two's across from their opponents.

Eren wondered what Levi was doing there, but he then recalled the house he was in charge of, and it made sense that he would volunteer now and then to help train the wrestling team. Everyone had been assigned a senior partner today; someone with more experience in the ring. It just figured that Levi would eventually be among them, and Eren couldn't help but wonder if he'd arranged it so that he would face off against him specifically.

"All right, get into your assigned rings, wait for the whistle and try not to get your asses handed to you too hard," announced Coach Shadis. "This should be entertaining."

Eren checked a sigh, and he followed Levi to the ring they'd been assigned to. He eyeballed the smaller man as he stepped over the ropes and onto the cushioned mat.

"What's wrong, kid? Never faced an opponent smaller than you before?"

Eren almost said he'd never faced an opponent _hotter_ than him before, but he kept it to himself and stayed silent, getting into the stance he'd learned. Damn it, he could see the outline of Levi's nipples and their piercings through the shirt, even though it hung loosely on the smaller athlete.

"Just so you know, I'm not going to hold back," Eren heard himself say.

"I wouldn't expect you to," allowed Levi with a shrug. "You'd only be setting yourself up for a bigger ass-kicking if you tried. Don't let size trick you into thinking you've got an advantage, Jaeger."

"I wouldn't," assured Eren. "I've already had experience in that department."

Levi cocked his head briefly, a flash of intrigue lighting his silvery gaze. He didn't ask if Eren was referring to their last encounter together or something else. Eren wasn't altogether sure of that, himself. He'd initially meant he'd learned his lesson about size in a fight from a girl he used to go to highschool with, as well as Mikasa. Somehow it became all about himself and Levi, though.

The whistle blew, and everyone faced off in on their respective wrestling spaces. Eren circled Levi warily, looking for an opening while at the same time, trying not to focus on how damned cute he was. He barely saw it coming. Levi was fast, as expected, but Eren hadn't quite anticipated speed of _this_ magnitude.

"Shit!"

He barely avoided the foot sweep aimed to knock him down for a pin. Technically, the sort of wrestling the college team engaged in wasn't traditional; nor was it the hyped up show version. It was in actuality a modern form that combined certain martial arts techniques with classic wrestling moves to overcome opponents. Blows from hands and fists weren't allowed, but leg sweeps, tosses and grapple holds were.

"Not bad," complimented Levi. "You avoided the first move."

Eren started to respond, but then Levi was lunging at him quick as a snake. The man's eyes were unreadable and slitted, his expression bored. Eren nearly dodged it, but he wasn't quite fast enough. Levi's surprisingly heavy weight knocked into him from the side, throwing him off balance. The smaller man's foot caught Eren behind the left knee, making it buckle completely and sending him to the mat. Eren saw stars for a moment as the back of his head struck it, and he tried to roll over to get back to his feet before he was pinned.

Levi was on top of him before he could recover. The other male's strong arms constricted around his shoulder and under his chest, his thighs wrapping around Eren. It should have been a fairly simple hold to get out of, but the feel of Levi's body so intimately pressing against him was...distracting.

"Come on, Jaeger," breathed Levi into his ear. "They taught you how to get out of this one, right?"

Frustrated by his own reactions and Levi's teasing, Eren disciplined himself. He reacted partly out of instinct, and partly out of memory. He grunted, bunched his muscles in just the right places and threw his weight to the side. He'd made the right judgment. Levi had been leaning enough in that direction to inadvertently help Eren's momentum.

Now free of his opponent, Eren didn't spare a second to enjoy the glimpse of surprise he detected in Levi's gaze. He knew how fast he was, so when the smaller man came at him again, Eren let him get within reach, and he locked his thighs around Levi's torso in a tight embrace. He likewise locked his arms around him, one behind Levi's head and the other beneath his armpit and around his back.

"I learned a few things before I joined the team," muttered Eren. "Guess you didn't see this one coming?"

"Not exactly," grunted Levi. "Nice grip on those thighs."

Eren was sure he had him. Then Levi went limp, and Eren inadvertently relaxed his hold a bit. The world went upside-down as Levi shoved into a forward roll that sent Eren backwards at the same time. It didn't completely break the hold, but it did reverse their positions in an interesting way and make Eren let go with his arms. The end result was Eren straddling Levi, and he quickly grabbed the other man's wrists to pin them over his head. Their faces were only a foot apart, and they were both breathing heavily.

"Not exactly a competition approved move," breathed Eren, now feeling a different kind of tension.

Levi was staring up at him with slightly parted lips and softened eyes. Eren had seen that look before. It was a look of surrender and arousal. He could feel the evidence of that pressing between his legs, and his own crotch stirred. Levi's pale cheeks were starting to gain a flush of pink. He strained against Eren's hold, but not hard enough to break it. More like he was testing it.

Now Eren had further proof that Levi got off on being dominated, contrary to personality traits that said otherwise. Damn, if the situation were different...

"Are you wrestling with him or making out, Jaeger?" barked the coach. "That kind of pin won't get you any points in competition, but props to you for being creative. Get moving!"

Embarrassed that their position looked to others exactly as it felt to him, Eren practically jumped off of Levi and adjusted his body back into a fighting stance. This was going to be a long training class.

* * *

Levi had to hand it to Eren; the kid was pretty good in the ring. More disciplined than he'd expected, in fact. Eren had been full of surprises so far, though. The guy got him so horny when he had him pinned on his back like that. It wasn't like Levi to forget himself in public and deliberately try to seduce someone in front of others. All he could think about when Eren had him like that was the time they'd had together over the weekend and all of the sexual intensity of it. It had him thinking with his dick again, and Levi honestly didn't know if he would have tried to stop him if Jaeger had attempted to kiss him right there in the ring.

He showered up after speaking with Coach Shadis and the other veteran wrestlers. He assumed everyone else had gone by the time he finished and went to get his change of clothes out of his duffle bag. He found out otherwise when he entered the locker area. Eren Jaeger was sitting on the bench between rows of lockers, hands on his knees, thighs spread and head down. He'd showered as well, judging by the damp state of his hair. He'd also changed into a clean set of clothes.

"You deliberately set that up," stated Eren without looking up from the floor.

Levi stopped in his tracks, cocking his head a little. "I suppose you could say that. I was curious to see how you handled yourself."

"You went easy on me." Eren said it with certainty, and he looked up at Levi. His green eyes flashed and shifted into a golden pigment when he caught sight of the other male standing there in nothing but a towel, his hair tumbled and yet un-combed after towel-drying it. Eren faltered at the sight of him, and his gaze caressed Levi's form with hopeless lust.

"Not entirely." Levi spoke softly, staring back at him with equal desire. "I did hold back, but not nearly as much as I could have. You've got potential, kid. You could rank in the top five by the end of the year, if you put enough effort and training into it."

Eren shrugged, but the little blush in his cheeks betrayed his pleasure at the praise. "So...are you going to get changed, or did you plan on walking through campus like that to your dorm house?"

"Heh. I've got a change of clothes. _Someone_ interrupted me, though."

Eren smirked. There was a boldness in his gaze now, and his eyes settled on Levi's chest for a moment. "Come here."

Levi raised a brow. This was outright brazen of Eren. As shy as the kid behaved at times, it was an interesting contradiction. "What's the magic word, brat?"

"Now," came the soft, authoritative response.

A thrill went through Levi. Eren was an even faster learner than he'd deducted. His feet moved automatically. When Eren parted his arms in silent invitation, Levi guessed what he wanted. He sat down on his lap, putting an arm around him.

"You aren't worried someone could come in and see us like this?"

"I made sure everyone left," assured Eren. "I was just going to talk to you, but seeing you like this...well, I got another idea."

Eren's hand settled on Levi's knee, and then it started to move up his thigh. He began to lift up the hem of the towel. Levi stopped him with a hand on his wrist.

"Not so fast, hot stuff. Don't forget where we are."

Erwin would have said he was playing hard to get...and he wouldn't have been completely wrong. Levi did enjoy testing his lovers to see how far they were willing to go...and how much restraint they could practice. He wasn't against sex in a public place so long as it wasn't in the open, but he did have to set some limits regardless of the desire he felt.

Eren did stop, but he transferred his touch elsewhere, to an area already exposed. "Okay, the towel can stay. Let me at least play with these a little."

Levi drew in a trembling breath when a tingling jolt immediately went through him at the touch of the other man's fingertips on his right nipple. His balls tightened beneath the towel, and his dick throbbed and got moist at the tip.

"What makes you think that's any...any safer?" Levi's thoughts scattered when he felt those persistent fingertips gently tug at the piercing. Damn Erwin for insisting on doing that pierce job, and damn himself for agreeing to it. Sometimes it only took the subtle caress of a breeze on his nips to make Levi get distracted and horny.

"You won't be naked, at least." Eren smiled, watching the expressions flit over Levi's face. "I've been wanting to do this since we first stepped onto the mat together. Were you thinking about it too? Were you imagining my lips around these?" He flicked his fingertip against the tip of the nipple as he spoke, causing Levi's breath to hitch.

"You little...bastard." Levi's actions betrayed his words, though. He crushed his mouth against Eren's for a kiss, his fingers sifting through the college student's rich brown hair. He nibbled at Eren's lips as the other male took the liberty of fondling the second nipple with his free hand.

"I love this about you," confessed Eren between kisses.

"You and Erwin...have that in common," gasped Levi. His body was humming all over now, and he was so hard that his dick was peeking out from in between the fold of the towel around his waist. So much for staying covered from the waist down. He may as well have let Eren yank his towel off.

Eren glanced down, and upon noticing the head of Levi's arousal emerging, he paused in teasing the left nipple to reach down and stroke the knob. He kissed Levi's throat, rubbing the glans gently in a circular motion and making the smaller man shudder.

"Eren..."

"It's okay, baby. I've got you. I want to make you come. Let me do that, Levi."

Eren persisted, murmuring encouragement against Levi's neck when he wasn't sucking or kissing on it. Levi couldn't hold back his moans, enslaved to the sensations. Eren was doing it just right, asserting himself over him without being obnoxious about it. He started stroking Levi off, and his mouth retreated from his neck to latch onto his left nipple.

Levi now had both hands in Eren's hair, unconsciously urging him on. His head fell back, his brows pinched and his hips gyrated. Every swipe of his tongue, brush of his fingers and tug of his lips delivered a jolt of pleasure. Panting now, Levi gave into the sensations.

"Gonna come," gasped Levi. His hips started jerking. He bowed his head over Eren's, unable to hold back those annoying, needy sounds. "Hah...oh...nngh!"

Levi's thighs clenched as it happened. He bucked in Eren's stroking hand, and a shudder ripped through him. Good thing he was only in a towel and not dressed, or he'd have messed his change of clothes. As it was, Levi could accept coming all over himself, Eren's hand and the material draped around his waist. Panting softly, he rested his head on Eren's shoulder and closed his eyes. This was by far the best ending to a sparring match that he'd ever experienced.

"You're so cute," whispered Eren, inadvertently echoing Erwin's observation. Levi silently wondered what specifically he was doing that Eren found "cute", but he reasoned he must have endeared himself to him by laying his head on his shoulder.

"That was nice," admitted Levi with a sigh of contentment. "Don't get the idea you can do that in public places whenever you feel like it, though. I gave you a pass this time, but someone could have easily walked in on us. The coach, another faculty member, a student...any one of them could have come in here and seen you jerking me off."

"I'll try to contain myself better," promised Eren with a grin.

Somehow, Levi didn't believe him.

* * *

Erwin was grading tests issued through the college website when Levi showed up in his office. He glanced up as his lover closed the door behind him, leaned back against it and stuck his hands in the front pockets of his jeans. There was a contemplative look in the younger male's slate gray eyes, and he appeared a bit dazed.

"How is your day going?" prompted Erwin after a moment, returning his attention to the computer screen. He clicked on the box marked with an "x" upon noticing the mistaken answer given by the student he was currently grading.

"It's been very...interesting," came Levi's answer at length.

"Define 'interesting'."

There was a soft sigh, and Erwin looked up again to witness a flash of hesitation in Levi's expression. "Levi? Did something bad happen?"

Levi met his gaze, and he smirked. He shook his head. "I'd categorize it as something right, blondie."

"Oh?" Erwin grinned slightly. "Why don't you come over here and tell me about it, then. Can I presume it has something to do with our new addition to our love nest?"

The alumnus shrugged, and he crossed the room to pull the chair on the other side of the desk over beside Erwin. He sat down on it, and he sucked his teeth thoughtfully. "You might not like hearing it."

Now completely distracted from his task, Erwin turned to face Levi. There was the faintest blush coloring Levi's pale cheekbones, and while his expression was never easy to read, Erwin knew him well enough to detect the subtle wisp of guilt on his face.

"What did you do, love?"

Levi's jaw tightened briefly, and he turned his head to look at the blond. He reached out to pluck Erwin's glasses off of his face, and he used his shirt to rub out a smudge he'd found on the right lens. Replacing the glasses gently, the smaller man gave his confession.

"I fooled around with Eren in the locker room. I didn't plan on it happening, but he was there when I came out of the shower and one thing just led to another."

Faintly envious, Erwin smiled. "Is that all? You act as if you cheated on me."

"Well, the rule is generally that I'm supposed to clear it with you before doing shit like that. You're not angry?"

"Levi, that rule is for non-established lovers," reminded the instructor softly. "Eren doesn't fit into that category now. You don't need my permission to do anything with him. Did someone walk in on the two of you or something?"

"No, we were careful," assured Levi, relaxing. "It was risky, though. I forgot we're passed the point of consent before action. Shit, it's been so long since we had another person in the mix, I guess I'm still getting used to it."

"There's nothing to worry about." Erwin reached out to stroke Levi's shiny dark hair, admiring his features and that cute, lingering blush in his cheeks. "Am I jealous? A little, I admit. I'm not angry, though. You and Eren are free to be as intimate as you want, with or without my approval. I just wish I'd been there to see it."

"Maybe next time." Levi studied him for a second, and then he seemed to arrive at a decision. He got out of his chair abruptly, swiveled Erwin's around to face him and then went to his knees before him.

"What are you doing?" Erwin stared down at his lover, curious and intrigued.

Levi glanced up at him, and his fingers worked Erwin's belt open. "I'm making it up to you."

"Levi, you don't need to..." Erwin's words trailed off, lacking conviction. He started to swell with excitement as the other man pulled his zipper down. His underwear became visible, bulging out of the opening Levi had made.

"You feel a little left out, right? Don't deny it." Levi cupped the bulge, meeting Erwin's gaze with a promise in his heavy-lidded eyes. "I've got to make sure you aren't neglected, don't I? Daddy."

Erwin swallowed, experiencing a rush of excitement in response to that rarely used but highly arousing term. He used to deny that it turned him on when Levi addressed him that way. He thought it was stupid and perverse for a grown man to call another man "Daddy", but the first time Levi teasingly did it, there was no denying it got him hot and bothered.

"You're a naughty boy," husked Erwin. He made no move to stop him, and his fingers carded through Levi's soft hair. "The door," he reminded.

"I locked it when I came in," promised Levi. He tugged the waist band of Erwin's boxer briefs down to expose his length, and he examined it with critical interest. "Hmm, not completely hard yet. I'd better work on that."

Erwin sat back in his chair, smiling with grateful pleasure as his lover's talented little mouth got to work. He was a very lucky man. Not only did he have this hot young thing ready and willing to do whatever pleased him the most, but now he had another equally beautiful young man in his life. His mild jealousy faded, and his eyes drifted shut. A sigh escaped him, and he stroked Levi's bobbing head encouragingly, listening to the slurping sounds the other man was making as he sucked him off.

Maybe it was worth missing out on seeing Levi and Eren making out together.

* * *

Eren was heading for his first class of the week with Erwin as his instructor, when he saw the man step out of his office down the hallway. Eren stopped in his tracks and stared. Levi was with Erwin, and he was sipping on a bottle of iced tea. As Eren watched, Erwin reached out to wipe something from Levi's mouth. The move was subtly intimate, and the blond's handsome smile had a secretive air about it. Levi flushed a little and muttered something, and then he turned and walked away, not noticing Eren at the end of the hallway.

Erwin watched Levi go, and it was obvious that his attention was mostly on the alumnus' tight, firm ass. He schooled himself, and he combed his fingers through his slightly disheveled golden hair, smoothing it back into place. He then noticed Eren across the distance, and he blinked with mild surprise. Those vivid blue eyes warmed up behind the lenses of his wire-framed glasses, and the corners of them crinkled as Erwin smiled at him.

"Mr. Jaeger," called Erwin, walking toward him.

He looked like a fucking GQ model to Eren. It took the young man a moment to realize Erwin had addressed him directly, and he blushed as pink as Levi had just moments ago. "Hi Mr. Smith. Uh, I was just heading for your class."

Erwin checked his watch. "Oh, is that the time? Well, we'd better hurry. I'll walk with you."

Eren nodded in compliance, having trouble finding his tongue. What were Levi and Erwin doing together before he happened upon them? Eren's mind churned out dozens of imaginative images as he fell into step beside the tall blond instructor. He vividly recalled the last time he'd been around Erwin, and his lips tingled at the memory of that kiss they'd shared. Erwin Smith was a hell of a kisser. Eren couldn't say he'd ever been kissed quite like that before. It was no wonder the man had Levi wrapped around his little finger.

_~Not to mention that body.~_

Eren's gaze unerringly slid over Erwin's built, tall form. Elegantly hidden beneath a stylish business suit, the tone and strength of that body was still apparent to anyone that looked. Eren wondered how many staff and students mentally undressed Erwin without the blond even realizing it. He and Levi were the only ones lucky enough to see it in the flesh, though. That made Eren feel strangely smug. How people would envy him if they knew...

"Your grades are falling a bit, lately," said Erwin conversationally, interrupting Eren's inappropriate train of thought.

"Are they? I haven't noticed." That was a lie. Of course Eren was aware that he wasn't giving his best academic performance recently. Concentration came harder to him since the encounter he'd had with Erwin and Levi.

"Not by much, but enough for me to notice," answered the blond. He glanced sidelong at Eren, and there was a hint of slyness in his eyes. "Is something distracting you? A new relationship, perhaps?"

Eren cringed inwardly. Just what was the man trying to do, here? Was this some kind of code talk?

"You could say that," replied Eren uneasily.

"Dating can sometimes be confusing," Erwin reasoned. "Especially if it's a new and complex relationship."

"Yeah," agreed Eren. "Uh, do you ever find yourself distracted too? Is that just something that gets better with age? Not that you're _old_ , sir," Eren hastily amended when Erwin raised a brow. "I just mean...does maturity help ground people more so that they can concentrate better?"

"I suppose it can." Erwin folded his arms over his chest, lowering his gaze pensively. "Though even with experience and maturity, there are some things that still cause...distraction."

Eren watched the smirk form on Erwin's wide mouth, and he grinned himself in response. "So even you can get distracted."

"Absolutely." Erwin nodded. "But the thing we all need to remember is that those distractions in life can't be allowed to overpower everything else. I'd like you to try and concentrate harder, Eren. I don't want to see your grades slip any further, understand?"

A shiver passed through Eren. What was it about this man that made his authority such a sexy turn-on? "Yes sir. I'll do my best."

"Good. Oh, I have some material you can read that might help." Eren reached into his blazer pocket to withdraw some kind of pamplet, and he handed it over to the younger man. "Page four is particularly interesting, I think."

Eren stared down at the pamplet in confusion. It was about life insurance coverage. "Um, I'm not sure how this is going to help my grades."

"Just open it to page four," suggested Erwin, gently yet firmly.

Eren shrugged, and he opened up the pamplet. There was a slip of paper wedged between page four and five, and he almost dropped it. He pinned it down with his thumb and he realized it was a note in Erwin's handwriting.

_"I want to take you out to dinner tomorrow night. Seven o'clock."_

Eren blinked, and he looked up at Erwin again. Why not just text him? Erwin had his number. He had his answer within seconds as he considered the blond's refined features, his stylish way of dressing and his elegant mannerisms. Erwin was old fashioned, in his way. Passing him a note rather than sending a digital text message was just his style.

Eren nearly tripped over his own feet, and he caught himself. He smiled in a half-shy, half amused way at Erwin. "You're right, Mr. Smith. Page four really _is_ interesting. Is there...ah...another person you're recommending this page to?"

Eren's attempt to covertly ask if this would be a threesome date evidently wasn't lost on the older man. Erwin shook his head, and he nudged his glasses up a little further on his nose.

"Not right now, no. Just you, this time."

Eren nodded. His mouth felt dry, and his pulse quickened with excitement and a little fear. It was just going to be the two of them; at least for the dinner part. Maybe Levi would meet up with them afterwards, or maybe tomorrow night was reserved just for him and Erwin to get to know each other better. Eren liked the idea even as it gave birth to butterflies in his stomach. Maybe after an intimate private date with Erwin, he would find it easier to relax around the man and not feel so intimidated by him.

"I look forward to reading more," Eren told the blond.

Erwin's smile told him that his answer to the offer had been understood.

* * *

Levi tied his shoelaces tight, and he stretched for a few minutes while contemplating the path ahead of him. He'd spent a lonely and restless night alone in his private dorm room, and even though he'd enjoyed an encounter with both of his lovers the day before, it didn't feel like enough to him. Sometimes he felt like he had a hyper-active sex drive. It wasn't just the sex, though. Levi had changed over the years. He used to be such a loner, but that changed after getting involved with Erwin. Sometimes he just wanted the warmth of his partners' company, and he didn't care if it led to sex or not.

"I'm getting soft," he muttered to himself. An empty bed never used to bother him. In fact, he used to prefer sleeping alone. It felt like he was being crowded when his previous boyfriends tried to get cuddly with him after sex. Now he craved that intimacy, that feel of a hard, toned body pressing up against his while he slept. Doing it in the nude, skin on skin, was the best. He and Erwin even had "naked nap time" on weekends when Levi stayed over. Sometimes they'd both end up with erections, but it was all about holding each other...not about fucking.

This was one of Levi's methods of coping with frustration, whether it was sexual in nature or not. Whenever he woke up in a mood like this during the colder months, he hit the running and biking trail in the campus park. He tended to do it less in the Summer unless he woke up at the crack of dawn. He loved exercise, but he hated sweating.

Levi started off at a jog, passing by trees and benches and giving a nod to a fellow runner he passed by. Once he got around the first bend circling the fountain pond, he picked up speed. His feet began to pound the pavement, faster and faster. Soon Levi was sprinting. He had a shorter stride than most, but his legs were strong and he could out-run a lot of people with longer legs. He outran Erwin most of the time whenever they ran together, and that was no easy feat.

Levi made it to the bridge crossing over the stream that fed into the pond, and he checked his smart watch for his heart rate and number of steps. Levi slowed down again, beginning to run out of breath. He paced himself, slowing to a jog for a while. He took a moment to catch his breath underneath a big maple tree, bending over and putting his hands on his knees. Leaves drifted down around him in colors of red, orange and gold. He wondered if they were going to get any snow this year. Last year, they'd only gotten a couple of sleet storms because the weather conditions weren't right for snow.

Levi's phone buzzed in the pocket of his hoodie, and he straightened up while reaching for it. He checked the screen, saw Erwin's name come up and immediately brought the phone to his ear.

"Hey blondie," greeted Levi, his breath fogging the air before him. "You were just on my mind."

"You sound like you're a little out of breath," noted Erwin. "Are you out having a run?"

"Good guess." Levi looked around, found a stump not far from the path and walked over to it to sit down. "Feel like joining me this morning?"

"If only I could," sighed Erwin. "I have a board meeting in twenty minutes, though. You remember me telling you about it?"

"Oh yeah. Every quarter semester. Damn." Levi stretched his legs and worked his feet to avoid getting a cramp while resting. "How about we hook up tonight, then?"

Erwin went silent, and when he spoke again, he sounded uncomfortable. "I forgot to tell you. I'm sorry Levi, but I've already made plans with Eren."

Levi's brows pinched. "With Eren?" he repeated dumbly.

"Yes. I think it's time for him and I to have some more one-on-one time together. If this arrangement is truly going to work for all of us, Eren needs to see me as a partner too. As it stands I feel he sees me as a sort of overseer that he needs to appease, and you and I both know that isn't beneficial."

"Oh. Yeah, I agree." Levi shook himself out of his daze. Of course this was coming. He and Erwin had already planned for it. "I guess I just wasn't expecting you to make your move so quick. Must mean you really dig him too, eh?"

Erwin chuckled. "Yes, I 'dig' him, Levi. I also see how naturally the two of you interact, and I really want this to work. I think you're too invested in him for something to go wrong now."

Levi's mouth thinned, but there was no denying the truth. "You may be right. So where are you two going tonight?"

"The little French restaurant that I take you to at times."

"Ah, Tryst Gastro," Levi deduced, and he nodded. It was a good choice. The place had gourmet cuisine but it was a small, out of the way establishment. While it was definitely no hole in the wall, it wasn't high profile and it happened to be one of the best kept secrets in town. Lots of people wishing to go on dates without being seen doing it went there.

"Yes. I just hope Eren will understand, should he figure out why I've chosen such a remote establishment. I don't want him to get the idea that I'm ashamed to be seen with him."

"He knows you two can't be seen on a romantic outing together," assured Levi. "Eren might be a little ditzy sometimes, but he's not stupid. He understands what happens between us three stays between us."

"Good. I'll take your word for it. Levi, are you okay with this?"

Levi frowned. Why the hell _shouldn't_ he be okay with his lovers going on a date together. It wasn't jealousy he was feeling, but something else.

"Levi?" pressed Erwin. "Is this going to be an issue?"

"No," Levi answered firmly, finally identifying what it was he was feeling. "It's not. You two need to get to know each other. I guess I'm just being a brat."

There was amusement in Erwin's deep voice when he responded, a soft huff of laughter. "Why do you say that?"

Levi exhaled slowly, and he leaned back on the stump he was seated on. He looked up at the gray sky, at the leaves spiraling down from the canopy. "I guess I just don't feel like sleeping alone again tonight."

Erwin's tone softened. "Are you having insomnia issues again, love?"

Levi grimaced. "Don't worry. I can handle it the way I always have."

"But you rest so much better after we've had a session," reasoned Erwin. "I haven't had the time since our weekend with Eren."

Levi nearly sighed again. Erwin was right; he always slept more soundly after being dominated and then comforted. He was no child, though. He didn't need anyone to hold his hand so he could get some fucking sleep at night. "I'll just take some melatonin. Hell, maybe I'll pop a Benadryl. That usually does it if nothing else will."

Erwin snorted. "Right, because you can't sneeze if you're in a coma."

Levi smirked. "That's right. I'll be fine, okay? Go on your date with Eren. Just don't rush it with the anal, okay? He might not be ready to bottom for you."

"I have no intention of jumping his bones," assured Erwin. "This date isn't set up for a sexual encounter...though I won't turn him down if Eren should decide he wants to go further at the end of it. I'm handling him with kid gloves. Trust me."

Levi's chest felt warm suddenly, and the shivering that had begun in response to the cold air drying his sweat faded. A subtle smile graced his lips, and had Erwin been standing in front of him at that moment, the man would have probably gushed over him. "I trust you, Erwin. I know you'll take good care of our boy."

"It's a promise," said Erwin. "Levi, come and stay at my place this weekend. I want to make up for the lack of time I've had for you."

"I thought you'd never ask." Levi got up off the stump. He did a couple of calf lifts and purposely set his sights on the trail stretching out before him. "I'll be there with bells on...Daddy."

"Oh Levi," said Erwin seriously, "you really shouldn't get me worked up before my date with Eren."

"Heh. Just save some of it for me," advised Levi. "I've been a little bad. Might need a spanking."

"Open palm, horse whip or perhaps a paddle?"

Levi bit his lip. His crotch throbbed shamelessly in his jogging pants. "You decide when I get there. I'll take whatever punishment you want to give me."

Erwin made a peculiar sound in his throat, and there was a rustling sound. "Damn it, Levi. So much for keeping my composure. Now I need a cold shower."

A snicker erupted from Levi before he could stop it, and he quickly clamped down on it. "Just make sure you holster that thing before it dry-fires, sexy. If you show up for your date with Eren with a bazooka in your pocket, you might scare the kid away."

Erwin laughed long and hard over that. It took a minute or so for him to compose himself. "Ah, you little demon. I'll try and keep that in mind. You aren't upset with me for neglecting to tell you about this date sooner?"

Levi shrugged. "Neither of us are perfect. Being involved with more than one person can get dicey, and you've got a lot on your plate right now. I'll manage."

"I appreciate you being so reasonable," said Erwin sincerely. "I'll try to ensure I don't repeat the mistake again."

It was uncommon to hear Erwin sounding so contrite. This was further proof to Levi that his lover was doing his absolute best to make this whole thing work. Neither of them were by any means experts in the field of polyamorous relationships, though they'd tried many times to make them work.

"You're doing fine," Levi assured him. "I can wait for the weekend."

* * *

-To be continued


	8. Chapter 8: The King of Cups

"So how do I look?"

Lying on his stomach on his bed, Armin glanced up from the tablet in his hands yet again. His crossed ankles swung back and forth in the air, and he sighed at Eren. "For the third time, you look very dashing. Damn it, Eren, I'm trying to study!"

"I'm sorry," Eren said insincerely, too caught up in his pre-date jitters to practice basic consideration. "I'm just nervous."

Armin put his tablet aside and sat up. He gave Eren look that somehow managed to convey patience, confusion and exhaustion all at once.

"What?" muttered Eren, shuffling his feet self-consciously. He looked down at the black, cap-toe oxfords he'd put on for tonight; the ones he hardly ever wore that his mother had sent to him at the beginning of the semester. "How do you do that, anyway?"

Now Armin simply looked confused. "Do what, exactly?"

"I dunno." Eren scratched his head. "It's like you can express everything you're thinking with just a look."

Armin frowned. "I wouldn't exactly call that a desirable quality to have."

"Depends on who you ask, I guess." Eren shrugged, and he looked up again to grin at Armin. "You're honest. People can tell where they stand with you more easily than they can with most others."

"By 'most others', I assume you mean people like your new boyfriend?"

Eren shrugged again, face going hot. That was another talent of Armin's; reading into people. "Not just him. Mikasa has that same poker face."

"Well, they _are_ related. Maybe it's a family trait."

Armin had a point, but that didn't account for the fact that Erwin was just as difficult to read as the Ackerman's were. As much as he adored Mikasa and wanted Levi and Erwin, it was always a refreshing change of pace to be around Armin Arlert. His calm reasoning, devotion to his friends and willingness to listen made him a valuable friend for Eren to confide in.

"Maybe," Eren agreed at last. "So why did you give me that look before, anyway?"

"Well, this won't be the first date you've had with Levi. I just don't understand why you're so nervous. You act like it's your first."

Eren winced inside. He'd fibbed to his friend...told him his date tonight was with Levi. Armin had figured out early on that Eren harbored an attraction for the instructor, but he didn't know that Eren had already interacted with Erwin on more than just an academic level. Hopefully it would stay that way, at least until they graduated. Eren didn't know how Armin might react to finding out he was in a poly relationship with Erwin and Levi, but he thought he might be more understanding if that day didn't come while Eren was still a student of Erwin's.

"It's our first 'fancy' date," excused Eren. "We're going out someplace nice, and it's been a while since I've done that with anyone except my family. I just want it to go well. Am I overdoing it? Should I do more? I'm just not sure."

"Hmm. Let me see."

Armin got off of his bed and stepped closer to Eren, really looking at him this time. He examined the light green v-neck sweater Eren was wearing, the slim fit gray pants he was wearing, and the oxfords he wore on his feet. Finally, he looked back up and his blue gaze lingered on Eren's throat area. In a way, Armin's eyes reminded Eren of Erwin's. They were that same intense blue in color, with the same intelligence behind them. They both also had rather thick brows of a matching shade of blond.

That was where the similarities ended, though. While Armin's stare was open and inquisitive, Erwin's was direct and calculating. The shape of their eyes and brows were different as well. Their physique, their manner of speaking and moving, the bone structure of their faces were all completely unalike. Erwin was a lion, and Armin a lamb.

"What are you snorting about?" Armin asked him suddenly.

Eren hadn't even realized he'd started to snicker hysterically—not at Armin, but at himself for inadvertently comparing two very different men to each other simply because of the shade of their hair and eyes.

"Sorry. I'm just nervous. So what do you think? Any improvement needed?"

Armin shook his head. "I think it's fine, Eren. You're dressed nicely but not overly formal. Unless you're going to a wedding, I think this will do."

Eren relaxed, not realizing until now that he'd held his breath while waiting for Armin's verdict. "Thanks, man. We're just going to a nice restaurant. Nothing black suit and tie, but nice all the same."

"Well, the casual-dressy look should be perfect for that," encouraged Armin. He smiled at Eren, and he patted him on the arm. "Don't fret so much. It's just dinner. I'm not an expert at what gays find attractive, but I know a lot of girls would trip over themselves at the sight of you right now."

Eren chuckled nervously. "Yeah? Thanks, Armin." He checked his phone when it buzzed, digging it out of the back pocket of his pants. It was a text message from Erwin; brief but heartening.

_"The taxi will arrive in about ten minutes. I hope you enjoy the night."_

Eren could understand why Erwin was being so cautious. At first he'd been puzzled as to why Erwin would avoid sending him a text asking him out directly, but after some thought, he figured it out. Erwin was covering his ass. If anyone happened to see the text he'd just sent to Eren, it would just look like he'd arranged a ride somewhere for Eren. The instructor was being deliberately vague for both his and Eren's safety.

Eren nearly texted: _"See you there"_ back. He stopped himself and revised his response accordingly. After all, _he_ only risked a spot on the wrestling team and being shunned by homophobes in his peer group. Erwin had so much more to lose if this should ever get out.

 _"Thanks for the help,"_ Eren texted back instead. _"Will try extra hard to improve my grades."_

Eren blushed as he put the response in, feeling so very awkward trying to flirt in code with a man he couldn't yet find the words to describe. Gentleman, rogue, genius, sex symbol...he could have applied all of these titles to Erwin and somehow, it didn't seem like any of them contradicted one another.

There was no response from Erwin. That felt appropriate, given the situation. Eren tried not to apply the normal rules of dating and flirtation to it. He just hoped the whole night wouldn't be one carefully secretive event in which he'd have to evaluate and decode every interaction with Erwin.

* * *

Erwin stared vaguely at the menu before him, seeing the flowing text without truly comprehending it. He'd done this very thing before when he and Levi first got together, but he didn't want to just repeat history. This was meant to be a unique date, a first chance for him and Eren Jaeger to open up to one another...to share intimate moments outside of blind sexual lust...to get to know each other as individuals.

He was going to fuck it up.

No, he couldn't think that way. It was too important that he didn't scare Eren away. He needed to make himself more approachable...less the soldier or teacher and more the confidant, the ally. That was how he got Levi, after all. He'd shown the introverted little rebel the human side of himself—completely by accident, but Erwin soon learned that what Levi needed the most was compassion...understanding...warmth. Once Erwin lost his composure and offered those things to him, Levi simply wouldn't accept "propriety" as a reason they shouldn't go for it.

Erwin had to tap into that again. He'd failed to do that in the past; treated each potential addition to their relationship as an object. He'd detached himself from the situation, thinking he was doing what was best for himself and Levi by standing back as an observer. This time, he genuinely wanted the subject of their interest this time, and not just because his boyfriend looked hot making out with him.

_~Be human. Be...yourself.~_

The problem was that Erwin only tended to _show_ himself to one person, these days. He'd developed friendships with some of the other staff, certainly. Hange, Mike and Petra were three that sprang easily to mind when he thought of those he could call his friends, but none of them knew him as deeply as Levi did. Erwin's defense mechanism when people got too close was to slap on the charm, pretend he was far more together than he actually was and fool himself and the world around him into thinking he was a solid foundation.

That was a lie, and precious few besides himself knew it. The most intimidating thing about this date night to Erwin was the realization that he was going to have to collapse that lie, dissolve it willingly in front of Eren and let himself be vulnerable. Let himself be just a man. It was harder than it had been with Levi, because instead of having that side of him drawn out, Erwin now faced the challenge of deliberately releasing it.

He got so stuck into trying to figure out how to accomplish his directive without treating it as some kind of military strategy or rehearsing it that Erwin didn't hear the waiter speaking to him. He snapped out of it and looked up from the menu he'd been staring holes through, focusing on the young lady with the pixie hair cut addressing him.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?"

"Drinks, sir? Would you like something in particular, or should I bring ice water for the time being?"

Erwin gathered his wits and composure. He gave the waitress a polite nod. "Yes, some water would be a good start. Also a glass of Johnnie Walker red, please. Neat."

"Right away," she assured him. She glanced at the empty chair with the other menu placed on the table before it. "And for your companion?"

Erwin was at a loss. He didn't know what sort of beverage Eren preferred. The kid had just politely accepted whatever was offered to him the last time they'd seen each other, but surely he had his own favorites.

"Give me a moment, please," Erwin said at length. "Just the waters and the scotch, for now. When my dining companion arrives, we'll order more."

She thanked him and left to retrieve the requested items, and Erwin pulled out his cellphone. He opened up his text messages and found the last one he'd exchanged with Levi.

 _"Levi, what does Eren like to drink?"_ Erwin messaged.

It took several minutes for the reply to come back and when it did, the blond's jaw tightened.

_"Try asking him yourself, dipshit."_

Erwin checked a sigh.

_"I'm trying to be a good date, monster. You want this to go well, don't you?"_

_"U know I do. Just be yourself. Worked for me didn't it?"_

Erwin grinned quietly at that, but then he sobered. _"Yes, but Eren isn't you, pet. Each date is a different experience, true?"_

It took a moment for Levi to respond, and Erwin could practically hear the sigh in his voice. _"Don't treat him like me. Treat him like Eren. Be honest and you'll be fine."_

Hmm. Just how honest should Erwin be? That was his dilemma. He felt lucky that Eren hadn't lost his nerve and bolted after what he'd already shared with him.

Erwin's phone blipped again with Levi's follow-up text message. _"Be honest. Goodnight blondie."_

That was Levi's not-so-subtle way of telling him the discussion was over with and he was done responding. Erwin didn't know what else he'd expected; Levi had never had to coach him on dates before. He probably thought Erwin was just looking for some advantage to use, not even considering the possibility that he might actually be nervous.

_~Lover, I think you over-estimate me at times.~_

Erwin put his phone away, procrastinating on silencing it in case Eren tried to reach him. He checked his watch out of habit, though he'd just seen the time on his phone screen. The drinks he'd requested arrived, and Erwin thanked the waitress and decided to order an appetizer with two plates so that he and Eren would have something to nibble on while they decided on their entree's.

Just as Erwin was taking his second sip of scotch, he spotted a familiar face stepping through the entryway of the restaurant. He perked up subtly and he waved at Eren to get his attention. The younger man looked relieved upon spotting Erwin, and he said something to the hostess before joining him at the table.

"Hi," Eren greeted, his eyes sweeping Erwin's form.

"Hello." Erwin smiled, and he admired Eren in return. "You look wonderful."

A hint of a blush stained Eren's cheeks, and he lowered his gaze and sat down. "So do you. But you always look great anyway."

Charmed by the compliment and the embarrassed look on Eren's face, Erwin chuckled. "Well then, I took the liberty of ordering an appetizer for us to start with. I hope you like tepenade."

"Uh..." Eren scratched his head, shrugged and gave Erwin a sheepish little smile. "Maybe. I don't know what that is."

"It's a sort of dip or spread made of olives and anchovies," explained Erwin. "I thought it would be a safer choice to start out with than tartar or escargots."

Eren grimaced just a little. "I know what escargots is and yeah, sorry. I wouldn't have the balls to try that. The olive thing sounds okay. I like anchovies on pizza sometimes, so it doesn't sound too weird."

"Good, then I made the right call. What's your poison? I thought it best not to presume and order a drink for you."

Eren looked around at their environment and he hesitated. "I don't suppose a beer would be appropriate in a place like this."

"Why not?" Erwin turned his menu over and pointed out the drink list. "They do carry it here, you know. Perhaps not the domestic brands you're used to, but they have a selection of imports."

"Oh." Eren looked the list over, and it was clear by his blank expression that he'd never heard of the brands they featured. "Ah, I'm not sure. This is a nicer place than I'm used to eating at, even if it _is_ hidden away."

"I apologize for that," Erwin said. "I know it seems like a hole in the wall from the outside, but I assure you this is the best kept secret in town. The cuisine here blows the higher class competition away, and it's low profile."

"I understand," assured Eren. "I know we can't go to a more mainstream place, sir."

"Erwin," corrected the blond gently. "Just Erwin. Forget our public relationship tonight."

"Right. Erwin." Eren checked the liquor selection on his own menu. "It's habit. Um, I've never tried any of these cocktails. I don't know what I'd like."

"Then may I recommend you start with a beer or a pale ale? You might find that more to your taste...more familiar."

"Okay. As long as you don't think I'm an uncultured slob, then ale it is. You pick one and I'll try it. I can't pronounce the names anyway."

Erwin smiled, and he regarded their waitress when she returned to the table with the appetizer he'd ordered. He ordered a bottle of imported ale for Eren and a glass to pour it in, and then he took a sip of his drink.

"What do you think?" Erwin asked when his companion spread a little of the tepenade on the a slice of toasted bread and took an experimental nibble.

Eren nodded, chewed and swallowed. "It's good. I like it."

"Excellent." Erwin fell silent and considered what to say next. He didn't want to discuss education or classes or anything to do with college. That would just be filler talk. He needed to get the ball rolling though, and Levi's insistence that he be honest with Eren came back to haunt him.

"I have night terrors."

Eren paused with another serving of tepenade hovering in his hand before his mouth. He stared at Erwin blankly.

"As in," Erwin expanded, "I sometimes wake from a dead sleep in a state of uncontrollable panic. It doesn't happen often anymore, but I feel it's something you should know about me."

"Oh." Eren lowered the appetizer, scrutinizing Erwin uncertainly.

"I thought it was best to break the ice with a personal truth about myself," explained the blond softly. "To share something personal with you, something I avoid mentioning to others. I'm not proud of it, but it's part of who I am."

Eren relaxed, his eyes green eyes softening on Erwin. "I think I understand. These...night terrors. Are they caused by some kind of flashback? I know you used to serve, but I don't know if you saw combat or not."

"I did," confirmed Erwin. "I suppose you could categorize it as a form of flashback when it happens. It isn't always accompanied by a nightmare that I can recall, but when it happens, I often wake in a 'combat ready' state, looking for and anticipating danger."

Erwin leaned forward a little, holding Eren's gaze with his own. He spoke even more softly to the other male. "Levi is the only other person I've discussed this with, Eren. In case you're wondering, I'm telling you now because I'm that serious about this arrangement working between us. There is a reason why I didn't sleep in the same bed with you and Levi that night, and it wasn't just to give the two of you some privacy. I didn't want to risk having an attack in front of you."

"Is it that bad?" wondered Eren. "Are you...dangerous when these things happen to you?"

"I can be," confided Erwin reluctantly. "I wake disoriented, with no clear idea of where I'm at or who's around me. Afterwards, I hardly recall what I did or even what set me off, but Levi is the one that talks me down when it happens. I've never struck out at him thank goodness, but I'm told it can be unsettling to witness, at the very least."

Eren took a moment to absorb this. Confusion and concern warred on his features, and then those expressive emerald eyes met Erwin's again. "I'm not sure what to say. It's none of my business to ask what you went through to suffer something like that, and...and I don't know how I could help."

"I'm not telling you this for sympathy," Erwin said softly. "I think that in the interest of getting to know one another better, we should share some personal things. I chose to get something negative about myself out of the way...clear the air. You don't need to feel responsible for 'fixing me'. I've told Levi the same thing. I just wanted to...open up to you a bit."

"I see." Eren fell silent when the waitress returned with his bottle of beer and a glass, and he politely thanked her when she poured it for him. He waited for her to leave and he took a sip of the drink, swishing it around in his mouth curiously before swallowing.

"Well?" Erwin smiled gently at him, hoping he hadn't spooked Eren with his sudden admission of his problem.

"It's good," confirmed the younger male. "Not too sweet. A little fruity—which is kind of weird, but it's nice."

"Happy to hear it." Erwin had some of the tepenade, and he leaned back in his chair. "What do you think of what I've just shared with you, Eren? Does it damage your opinion of me?"

"Huh?" Eren looked legitimately startled. "No! No, of course not. If anything, it makes you seem more...more...um..."

"Human?" supplied Erwin with a grin.

"Well..." Eren shrugged.

"It's okay," soothed Erwin lightly. "I'll admit to you this one other thing before it's your turn: Levi advised me to make myself more accessible to you when I asked him for advice for tonight. I was nervous, you see."

"You? Nervous?" Eren looked frankly incredulous.

"Yes," admitted Erwin. "After all, it's been a while since I've been on a date with anyone except for Levi. He's quite taken with you, and that makes it all the more important that you and I connect. I really want this relationship to work, Eren."

The younger male flushed, either from flattery or general embarrassment. "Well, I don't think at this point there's much you could do to scare me off. In case you haven't looked in a mirror lately, you're really hot."

Erwin chuckled. He didn't count himself as a vane man, but he was well aware of what others thought of his appearance. "I'm very flattered that you think so. What about you, Eren? Is there anything personal you'd like to share with me to break the ice?"

An uncomfortable expression formed on Eren's face. "Ahh...I'm not sure."

"You don't have to," assured Erwin gently. "I just thought I'd get the ball rolling by telling you something about myself. I understand if you don't feel comfortable following my example just yet."

"No, I want to," Eren corrected quickly. "I'm just thinking. Hmm." Suddenly, he laughed. "Okay, I've got one. Not even Mikasa knows about this, but Armin does because he was there. I swore him to secrecy and so far he's kept his word."

"Go on," urged Erwin curiously.

"All right. When I was about seven years old..." Eren shot a look around to be sure nobody nearby was listening, and he lowered his voice more. "I ate a whole bar of soap. My mom had to take me to the emergency room and they pumped my stomach."

Erwin's brows went up. "Why in the world would you eat a bar of soap? Even if you mistook it for chocolate or something, surely the taste would have given it away."

"I did it on purpose," Eren explained. "Armin dared me to. We were just stupid kids. I was cussing about something, he warned me not to do it so loud or my mom might wash my mouth out with soap. I bragged that I'd already had that done so many times it wouldn't bother me, and he didn't believe me. So I told him I'd eat a whole bar right in front of him and he took me up on that wager."

Erwin began to laugh richly. He vaguely noticed the way Eren was staring at him, and he remembered Levi telling him he had the sexiest laugh on the planet. Maybe Eren shared that opinion, but Erwin wasn't about to let his ego step on the progress he was making.

"I hope the damage wasn't too severe," Erwin said at last, composing himself.

"I was nauseous for a couple of days and my throat burned, but I got over it." Eren smirked. "After that, I wouldn't touch soap again for a while. You can imagine the trouble my parents had getting me to bathe properly."

"Yes, that would make it difficult," chuckled Erwin. "How long did that last?"

Eren shrugged. "About a month or so. Dad bought me some bath gel as a substitute when he realized there'd be no convincing me to use bar soap for a while."

"Shrewd man, your father. So you and your friend Armin go way back, eh?"

"Yeah. I've known Armin my whole life and Mikasa nearly as long. Her family moved into our neighborhood when we were about ten. She was about the only girl I hung out with until we started high school."

"And there was never any dating between the three of you?" pressed Erwin.

Eren shook his head. "No. Everybody thought me and Mikasa would hook up eventually, but then we figured out that I'm into guys and that was the end of that. I think she was kind of mad at me for a while, but she got over it."

"Well, I'm glad that it didn't destroy your friendship with her," stated Erwin sincerely. He looked over his menu. "I think I'm going to have the lamb navarin tonight. Have you decided on an entree yet?"

Eren peered at his menu uncertainly. "I've never tried most of this stuff before. I like the thought of something with fish in it, but I'm a little scared to pick something at random."

"If you want my opinion," offered Erwin, "the pike quenelles is very tasty. I had it the last time I ate here with Levi."

"Then I'll trust your word and give that a try," Eren decided. "Wow, look at this dessert list! I'm getting full just reading it."

"Try to leave at least enough room to share a serving of pear tarte tatin with me," advised Erwin. "It's the highlight of a meal here."

"I'll try," agreed Eren. The waitress came, and he gave her his order when she asked. He also ordered for Erwin, which was unexpected. It served as a reminder to the blond that Eren wasn't like the last guy he and Levi tried to bring into their relationship.

Eren wasn't a twink, and according to Levi, he'd never been on the receiving end of anal before, either. Erwin himself preferred giving cock over taking it, though he made exceptions for Levi from time to time when his boyfriend asked him too. If this was going to work between the three of them, Erwin and Eren might have to go outside of their comfort zones and compromise with each other.

With that thought in mind, Erwin began to lay down plans for the next phase of his seduction. He wasn't deliberately trying to be manipulative, but it was in his nature to be tactical when he wanted something badly enough.

* * *

It was possibly the best meal Eren had eaten in a long time. He and Erwin both loosened up after sharing some personal information with each other, and by the time dessert came they were both at ease. Erwin even hand-fed Eren a bite of the glazed pears he'd ordered. Though Eren initially blushed over it, he couldn't deny the warm feeling he got as he ate from the fork Erwin held to his lips and gazed into those fathomless blue eyes. Smith had the kind of stare that could hypnotize someone for hours.

After finishing up with dessert, Erwin paid the bill and left a generous tip for the waitress. He then insisted on driving Eren home, which worried the younger man a little.

"Wasn't the whole point of us meeting up here instead of coming together supposed to be to avoid being seen by anyone we might know?"

Erwin opened the passenger door of his car and gestured for the other man to get in. "I think it's late enough now that we can risk riding back to the campus together. If by any chance someone sees us and questions it, I can say that I saw you waiting on a cab and offered you a lift to save you some money. Simple enough, don't you agree?"

"Yeah," admitted Eren. "I guess I'd better come up with a story myself if anyone asks what I was doing tonight. Maybe I'll say I was at the pool hall and you drove by when I was getting ready to leave."

"That would work," agreed Erwin. He waited for Eren to get in, and then he slid into the driver's seat and closed the door. Erwin looked at Eren, hesitating in the act of securing his seatbelt. "Thank you for coming out with me tonight."

"Hey, thanks for inviting me," replied Eren with a smile. "I've never been to a French restaurant before. It was really—"

Eren was about to say "good", but then Erwin leaned in and cut him off with a kiss. It started out gentle as before; almost questioning. Then the blond demonstrated that skill of his with his lips and tongue, and Eren forgot where he was or what he'd been saying.

Damn, this guy could probably run for president and win the election if he went around kissing people to convince them to vote for him. Eren hadn't by any means forgotten what an amazing kisser Erwin was, but the memory of his last time experiencing it was pale in comparison to the reality of doing it again.

Eren stroked the older male's probing tongue with his own, vaguely realizing the groan he heard was coming from himself. The assertiveness of the way Erwin kissed was different from Levi's erotic, coaxing technique. Both had a unique way of conveying their passions. Levi always seemed to tease and dare with his kisses, while Erwin dominated and seemed to lay claim to his partner's mouth. Both methods were extremely hot to Eren, and he couldn't decide whose kiss got him worked up the most.

Eren didn't even realize his sweater had been tugged free of his pants until he felt a big hand burrowing under it. He gave a little start when Erwin's palm chafed his nipples one at a time, and he swelled in his pants immediately. Had someone told him at the beginning of the semester that he'd end up making out in a car with one of his instructors, Eren would have scoffed at the notion. Now he couldn't seem to get enough, and he didn't even care that Erwin was calling the shots.

The blond's other hand moved to the back of Eren's head, the fingers curling into his hair and tugging on it insistently. Eren tilted his head back compliantly, and Erwin's mouth left his to trail kisses on his throat. The older male's breath was hot and moist against Eren's skin, his lips firm and demanding.

Emboldened by his companion's actions, Eren started doing some exploration of his own. He worked open the buttons of Erwin's vest, then moved on to unbutton the gray shirt he wore beneath it. Crisp golden chest hairs brushed against Eren's fingers as he got the top part of Erwin's shirt open. He stroked his hands over the firm ridges of Erwin's pectorals, admiring their tone and strength. It wasn't hard to imagine Erwin was built nicely just by looking at his height and form, but he wore clothes that concealed enough to leave people guessing. Touching him this way reminded Eren of how _much_ of Erwin's body he'd seen, and his whole body heated with the memory.

"Fuck, you're hot," gasped Eren impulsively. The statement was immediately followed by a surprised gasp when Erwin's hand slid out from under his sweater to cup the bulge between his thighs. "Hah! W-wait..."

"Am I moving too fast?" came the purring question. Erwin's hand stilled, and he pulled back to gaze at the younger man. His eyes were bright with lust, but the careful control in them assured Eren that he would immediately stop if asked to.

Eren swallowed, unsure. If it were Levi instead of Erwin, he would have said there was no way he was going too fast. A part of him still couldn't shake the reality that this man was his teacher, though.

"No...and yes. I've never done anything like this before."

Erwin raised a politely ironic brow. "Am I supposed to take that literally, or is there more to it?"

Eren laughed nervously. "I don't mean I've never made out. I mean...I've never done it with a teacher before. Or any authority figure, for that matter."

"I see." Erwin's thumb brushed against the swell of Eren's boner, drawing a shudder from him. "You seemed to be all right with it while Levi was present. Maybe you aren't ready to interact that way with me one-on-one."

Eren hadn't considered that. He'd been so turned on that day the three of them went at it, he didn't really get much of a chance to think. Levi had been the catalyst to that encounter, so to speak. It was easy in that moment to forget about social status and public relationships.

"Don't think I don't want it," Eren explained. "I do. I'm just not sure where to start."

"Then how about we start slow," Erwin suggested softly. "There's no need to rush into it."

"We kind of already did," Eren reminded blushingly.

"That was a different kind of situation," insisted the blond. "How you and I interact with each other alone doesn't need to hinge upon the things we might do together with Levi. It's important that you feel comfortable with me, that you trust me."

Eren nodded, both relieved by Erwin's understanding and a little disappointed with himself for putting on the brakes. Erwin wasn't Levi, though. If things got too heated between the two of them, Eren doubted he'd be the one on top. Maybe he was wrong and things would go the other way, but that wasn't the impression he'd gotten so far.

"Thank you for dinner," said Eren at last, deciding it was better not to dwell on the subject and risk saying something really stupid. "It was really awesome. _You're_ really awesome."

Realizing he might be laying it on a little thick, Eren snapped his mouth shut and looked away, embarrassed. He felt Erwin's warm hand cup his chin, and he turned to look at the older man with Erwin's urging. Those piercing blue eyes of Erwin's were warm and amused on him, staring at him from behind the lenses of his glasses.

"I'm glad you enjoyed the evening. We'll have to do it again sometime...perhaps next week?"

Eren nodded convulsively. "Sure. Yeah, next week would be good."

"Would you object to Levi joining us?"

"No, of course not. I think that would be fun and maybe...uh...maybe I won't chicken out after the date if he's there."

Erwin smiled again in that patient, kind way of his. "Take your time with it, Eren. You set the pace for how far we go and when, all right? I'm willing to wait until you're ready for more."

Eren should have just left it at that, but the curiosity was eating him alive. He needed to know what to expect when things did progress to sex between him and Erwin. "When I'm...ready for more...how do you imagine things happening between us? I mean, I know Levi likes to bottom and you like to top, but...ah..."

"You lack experience in the former," finished Erwin for him. His voice was calming, deep and somehow commanding at once. "I understand. To be perfectly honest with you Eren, I hope to be your first in that department."

"...Oh." Eren's gaze slipped down to Erwin's lap, which had a distinctive bulge testifying that he'd gotten worked up over their make out session as well. Eren couldn't help but gulp a little, clearly recalling how hung Erwin was down there.

"That isn't to say I expect it to happen soon," Erwin assured him. "There are so many other ways we can please each other before it progresses that far. That being said, rest assured that I do intend to fuck you some day, Eren Jaeger."

Eren's face and ears went hot, the saliva in his mouth abruptly drying up. To have Erwin say it like that, so point-blank with such confidence, made Eren feel like it was inevitable. As frightening as that was, there was also something exciting about it. He'd never been a big fan of authority, but Erwin tempered his somehow...made it seem less "in your face" and more "I know you want it so I'm just going to put it on the table".

"Are you okay with that, Eren?"

The younger man's heart was thudding hard; felt like it might soon punch a hole through his sternum. Wait, was that the right word for it? Maybe it was the rib cage. Armin and Mikasa were the anatomy experts of the three of them. Maybe he should ask one of them.

"Why am I thinking of sternums?" breathed Eren stupidly.

Erwin frowned briefly, and then he reached out to place his palm flat against Eren's chest. "Your heart...it's beating so fast. Have I frightened you?"

Eren shook his head, then nodded right afterwards. "I'm not sure."

Erwin smiled at him, his eyes lighting up again and dismissing the earlier seriousness. "You have nothing to worry about, Eren. Like I said before: you set the pace. I'm just making my intentions clear to you."

"Are you always so honest when you hit on people?"

Erwin went still, a hint of surprise flickering across his features. That smile returned seconds later, and he issued a deep, low chuckle. "I think you can blame it on Levi. My natural state when dating was always to hold back, before I got involved with him. Five years ago I would have never been that forward with anyone. I guess you could say that Levi drew me out of my shell, and he's still doing it. I tend to withdraw to protect myself, but he's trained me to put myself out there more."

Thinking of the story he'd heard of how Erwin and Levi initially hooked up, Eren could believe that. He smirked, sharing the older male's amusement. "He's really something. So are you, for that matter. You two make such a great couple that sometimes I wonder how I could ever fit in."

"Don't think that way," advised Erwin, sobering once more. He took Eren's hands and squeezed them. "Levi and I both want you to be a part of our lives. _We_ approached _you_. You aren't breaking up our love nest by getting involved. That's the trick to maintaining any healthy relationship, Eren. All three of us have to respect one another, be open and honest and trust each other. We want you to feel valued, wanted and hopefully loved. If things go the way we're hoping, one day the three of us might even become a family."

Eren stared at him. He'd known Erwin and Levi were serious just by the emphasis they'd placed on consent and the importance of communication, but it was so surreal at first that it didn't truly occur to him until now that they were really in this for the long haul.

"Has it ever worked for you before?" Eren dared to ask. "A serious three-way relationship, I mean."

Erwin hesitated. He released Eren's hands, took off his glasses and started to polish the lenses with a micro fiber cloth he collected from the little overhead compartment for glasses and shades. His gold-flecked lashes concealed the blue of his eyes as he methodically wiped at his lenses.

"We've tried twice now, so far. Sadly, it didn't work out. There were jealousy issues. The first one was trying to split us up so that he could have me. It was the same with the second, except his goal was to get Levi."

Eren thought on this for a moment. He had to admit that his initial interest was in Levi, though Erwin quickly caught his attention shortly after. "You aren't worried the same thing might happen with me?"

"Of course it's a concern," admitted Erwin. "It's a possibility we've tried to prepare for, but I have a really good feeling about you, Eren. You still have questions and doubts, and that's natural. However, you've been very respectful of mine and Levi's relationship. You've demonstrated your interest in joining us rather than an ambition to split us apart. I trust you, and I hope in time, you can come to trust me as well."

Eren felt almost like he was being proposed to. He stammered a little, blushed a lot and started to sweat. "I...really like both of you. A lot. I don't know if we can make it work, but I really want to try. I just hope you can keep being patient with me. I'm such a newb at this."

"That's okay," assured Erwin. "I think that all three of us are 'new' at this, should it work out for the best. The important thing is that we're all willing to try. I for one don't plan to make the same mistakes of the past, and I won't push for more than you're willing to give."

Eren believed him, and he felt comforted. He leaned in to give Erwin a kiss, allowing it to linger for a moment. He pulled back after a few seconds to stare at the blond, again admiring how model-perfect his features were.

"I think," Eren said carefully, "you'd better take me home now before I lose my mind and jump your bones."

Erwin ejected one of those rich, sincere laughs and then he started the car. "Then let's get you home."

* * *

After dropping Eren off, Erwin returned to his home. He immediately sent a text to Levi before brushing his teeth and preparing the water temperature for his shower. Just as he was stripping down to step in and get cleaned up, his phone beeped with a responsive text.

_"You pussy."_

Erwin picked up the phone, read Levi's response and snorted. He then responded to his lover, a smirk curving his mouth.

_"You were the one that warned me Eren has a virgin ass. What did you expect me to do? He needs time."_

It took a few minutes for Levi to respond. _"Guess I'm just impatient. Everything else went well though?"_

Erwin thought over the date, nodded and then tapped in a reply. _"I think it went very well. Next week I'm taking you both out for dinner. I leave what happens afterwards to you and Eren."_

The exasperation was clear even through the text when Levi answered him. _"You're putting it up to me this time. I get it."_

Erwin stared at the phone, closed his eyes for a second and took a deep breath before responding. _"Love, I think in the case that might be best. I trust you."_

Levi went silent for so long that Erwin thought his phone might have died. Then he finally messaged back again. _"All right. I'll trust your judgment. Don't expect big results right away though."_

_"I understand. Goodnight, pet."_

Levi said goodnight back, and then Erwin put his phone away and got into the shower. As he bathed, he thought of the conversation he'd had with Eren and how things might progress from there. Eren was clearly intimidated by him still, but it seemed to Erwin that he'd succeeded in alleviating some of that on their date.

If things didn't work out with Eren, this would be the last time Erwin would be willing to try and bring a third party into his and Levi's relationship. What was that saying? Three strikes and you're out? As much as Erwin wanted to ensure Levi had another boyfriend in his life in case anything separated them, it was rather exhausting to keep chasing around like this. If it went south with Eren, he was going to take it as a sign from the universe that he and Levi weren't meant to be in a poly relationship, and he was confident that Levi would come to the same conclusion.

They'd cross that bridge when the came to it. Right now there was still a good chance of achieving their goal.

* * *

-To be continued


	9. Chapter 9: A Bird in the Hand is worth Two in the Bush

Levi only mentioned the date Eren went on with Erwin in passing. He met up with the college student in the quad between classes the next day, asked how he liked the restaurant and told him he'd spoken with Erwin about the three of them going together next week. He had a purpose behind his decision not to press for details. Levi felt it was important for his lovers to build their own relationship without him pushing it. Like Erwin, he was attempting to learn from mistakes of the past. That meant allowing Eren to set his own pace and offering advice only when asked for it.

That happened sooner than expected, actually. Levi met up with Eren again on campus grounds for lunch, choosing a quiet spot at a picnic table under a big oak to eat with him. Levi was in the process of adding condiments to his chicken wrap when Eren blurted out his thoughts.

"So Erwin wants to fuck me."

Levi froze for a second, composed himself and then met his companion's gaze across the table. "That surprises you?"

"Not really, but I wasn't expecting him to be so blunt about it. I'd have thought that was more of a third date revelation."

"Heh. Well, we haven't exactly approached each other in the traditional manner," Levi pointed out. He studied Eren carefully. "Does it bother you, the thought of someone wanting to put their dick in you?"

"A little," admitted Eren, "and I know that's hypocritical."

Levi shrugged. "Depends on your reasons. You've never done it that way, so I can understand you having some hesitation. Ever wonder how anal sex came about?"

"Uh, two guys decided to do it together. Or maybe a guy and a girl did it first and it just caught on."

"Yeah, but who decided one day that taking a shit was satisfying so maybe putting something up there might be too?"

Eren made a face, and he cast a look at the sandwich he was unwrapping. "Suddenly I'm not so hungry."

"You're gonna have to get used to the way I talk eventually," teased Levi with an amused smirk. "Erwin hardly blinks anymore when I start going off."

"Shit jokes aren't really appetizing conversation, babe."

"All right, I'll lay off," promised Levi. "But seriously, if you're hesitant to try bottoming because you're scared it's going to hurt, don't worry so much. Erwin's really good. If you're reluctant because you think it's gonna make you more of a fag, then you'd best check yourself and figure out if you're really that into guys."

"It's not the second one," Eren said defensively. "I know I'm gay. I tried not to be but gave up on that by the time I was a junior in high school. It's not that I don't want to try it, Levi. It's just...Erwin's really _big_ and...and..."

"Oh, I see." Levi's faint annoyance faded, to be replaced with quiet sympathy. "I get it. You don't want your first experience to end up with a trip to the emergency room with a butt bleed."

Eren grimaced and nodded. "Yeah."

"Well, the fucker _is_ hung like a horse," conceded Levi, and then he leaned forward in his seat to affix Eren with a calm stare. "But listen to me; that doesn't mean he's going to split you open. Something like that happened to me with an ex that will remain nameless, and he was only average in the pants. You're pretty big yourself and you didn't hurt me, so you know how to prepare a partner. So does Erwin. The jackass I just mentioned didn't...or he just didn't care, take your pick."

Levi thought back on the first time he saw Erwin's junk. "I was intimidated by blondie's size too, if you want to know the truth. I was too stubborn to let that stop me, but believe me when I say I was bracing myself the first time we had sex."

Some of the tension seemed to ease from Eren's expression, and there was open curiosity in his eyes. They started to gain more of a golden hue, suggesting he might be getting aroused thinking of Levi's first time with Erwin. "What was that like?"

Levi took a bite of his wrap and groaned softly, rolling his eyes.

"That good, huh?" Eren chuckled.

Levi chewed and swallowed before answering. "We've been together five years now. What do you think?"

"Point taken."

Levi set his food down and took a drink of his iced tea before speaking again. "Erwin's meticulous about prepping his partners. By the time he stopped fingering me and finally put it in, the transition was so smooth it hardly hurt at all. As you've probably figured out, I like a little pain now and then. Erwin's good about balancing it out and reading me, though. He'll treat you with the same care if you two ever go for it. Trust me."

"That's comforting to know," said Eren softly. "He seems like a really patient man."

"He is," assured Levi. "Especially when he wants something bad enough."

Eren started eating his sandwich, apparently forgetting about the earlier shit jokes. He stopped after a couple of bites, wiped his mouth with his napkin and spoke again. "What about his night terrors? How often do those really happen and is there some advice you can give me to help him if he has one around me?"

Levi blinked at Eren with open surprise. "He told you about those?"

Eren nodded. "Yeah. As soon as we sat down at our table, in fact. I thought he was joking at first, but he said he wanted to break the ice by sharing something personal with me."

Levi's brows lifted for a second, and then he settled his face back into a blank mask. "I'll be damned. He took my advice and then some."

"Huh?"

Levi hid a grimace. "Erwin sent me a text asking for advice about you last night. I told him to just be honest. That was a huge leap for him though. I think you're only the second person besides me he's ever shared that with."

"He said something like that to me too," confided Eren.

"Then that should tell you how serious he is about this working out between us." Levi sat back and thought on it, satisfied and he had to admit, kind of proud of his blondie for opening up so much to Eren.

"That's true," agreed Eren. He smiled at Levi. "I can't wait for the big date next week."

"Excited, are we?" Levi allowed his lids to droop, projecting his bedroom eyes on him. "Save up your energy, Eren. You're going to need it."

Eren cleared his throat and shifted suspiciously in his chair. "Any chance I could use just a little of it tonight? Armin's cramming for a test, so it's the perfect excuse for me to come and hang with you for a while."

Levi nearly said of course Eren could come over, but he stopped himself quickly. While Erwin wasn't likely to get blue balls from one date without sex, Levi was getting restless. Fooling around with Eren in the locker room and then later blowing Erwin in his office in the same day had satisfied him well enough, but that was two days ago. He hadn't had a real fuck since last weekend, and Erwin had gone even longer without.

"Actually, I have plans tonight." An idea came to Levi, and he hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "In fact, I'm going to be juggling a lot this week, so I'm not going to have a lot of free time to spend with you."

"Oh." Eren looked disappointed, but he shrugged it off. "I understand. You're practically a teacher yourself. Plus I'm sure you want to spend more time with Erwin, since I hogged him up last night."

Levi chose not to confirm that spending time with Erwin was what he had in mind for tonight. He felt a sting of remorse for acting on a thought that seemed rather manipulative to him, but the only real harm it could serve was to get Eren more charged up for their date.

"I've got a lot of training to take care of," explained Levi, "plus my schedule's full. Erwin wants me to pose again for art class."

Eren groaned. "Really? I've got to sit there staring at you naked again without touching you?"

Levi shrugged, resisting a smirk. "Looks that way. I'd advise you not to skip class to save yourself frustration, though. Erwin won't like that."

The other young man sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I guess I'll be using my hand a lot this week, then...and not just to draw with."

That provoked Levi to release a low, soft noise of amusement. "Heh. You'll live. It's just until the weekend, and then we'll have our date and you and I can stay over at Erwin's place. I'll make it all up to you."

Eren met his eyes, and the boyish side of him melted away to be replaced by that intensity which gave Levi a thrill each time he saw it. "I'm going to remember that promise, sexy."

* * *

"So, you need to schedule me to come in to model for your art class again," Levi informed Erwin later that night. He was panting and sweaty, lying on his back with his eyes shut. Utterly spent, his body was still tingling and throbbing deliciously. His ass cheeks were hot and stinging from the spanking he'd received just before Erwin followed up with some uncommonly tender lovemaking.

The instructor's bed creaked slightly, the mattress shifting under his weight as he rolled onto his side to face Levi. The smaller male felt Erwin's fingers trace his belly, and he opened his eyes to look up at him as Erwin propped himself up to lean over him.

Flushed and perspiring as well from their activities, Erwin seemed puzzled. "That's a strange thing for you to say after lovemaking. Especially since you protested the last time I asked you to model. Besides, we aren't focusing on human anatomy this week. The lesson plan is supposed to be on landscapes."

"How boring." Levi took a deep breath, still trying to recover from the conflicting sensations of pain and ecstasy he'd been privy to at Erwin's hands. "Look, I'll be honest here. Eren was trying to spend more time with me and—"

"You don't need my permission to do that," reminded Erwin.

"Let me finish, would you? As I was saying, I got this impulsive idea that it might help Eren ditch some of his inhibitions with you if I hold back until our date."

Erwin frowned, and one lock of golden hair fell over his sweaty brow. "How would you depriving Eren of affection help him feel more comfortable around me? This started primarily with the two of you. He simply needs more time to warm up to me."

"Don't you get it?" Levi lifted up on his elbows, shaking his bangs out of his eyes. "Last weekend, Eren fucked me in front of you. He's never done anything like that before. I have a feeling he'd be willing to do it again, and maybe this time you two can interact with each other more instead of just sharing me. He feels safer with me being there, I think. If I let the mojo build up this week by leaving him be until our date, he might be willing to do more with you."

"Levi, that's..." Erwin trailed off, and he bowed his head. "Well, I must admit it's brilliant, but it's also devious. You're generally more moral than this."

"Hey, Eren's still got as much right to say no as he had before," defended Levi. "I'm not fucking with his brain, just denying access to my ass. I've got no intention of influencing him one way or the other concerning when things click for the two of you. I'm just giving him a little incentive to let himself go some more."

"I see. I'm not sure that would stand up in a court of law, but—"

"Drop the lawyer shit," advised Levi. "You were never a JAG anyhow."

Erwin chuckled. "True. Sometimes I wish I'd chosen that path rather than being a fighter pilot, but the point remains that you're employing a red herring fallacy to defend your position."

"Oh would you please just—"

Erwin broke off Levi's complaint with a swift kiss to the lips, and his fingers traced the younger man's belly-button.

"Hey, that isn't gonna...mmmph...mmmm..."

Erwin kissed him again, deeper this time, and Levi's argument faded into hums and purrs. Erwin rolled over onto his back whilst embracing Levi's slighter form, dragging him on top of him. He started to rub Levi's blushing ass cheeks gently with his palms, soothing the earlier hurt he'd caused.

This treatment of course made Levi figuratively melt. He sighed, made a purring noise in his throat and lay his head on Erwin's chest. He could practically hear the grin in his blondie's voice when Erwin spoke again.

"So is the argument over with?"

Levi opened his eyes to glare at the wall, and then they fluttered shut with pleasure again as his companion's fingertips caressed the spot where his butt cheeks met his thighs.

"Mmm...fine. Just keep doing that."

Erwin nuzzled Levi's hair, smiling against it. "Of course, love. I need to remember to share this little trick with Eren, the next time the subject comes up."

"What little trick?" Levi yawned and snuggled tighter against the larger man.

"Nothing, Levi. Just rest."

* * *

Eren got an unexpected text message from Erwin Smith the next morning, and he was puzzled by it.

_"Want to know how to turn a panther into a kitten? Rub its ass."_

Eren sat up in his bed, staring blankly at the phone screen. "What in the hell? He's sending me weird jokes now?"

Or maybe it was code for something else and Eren was still too sleepy to read the hidden meaning. In the bed beside his, Armin stirred as well and rolled over to look at him. The blue eyes widened slightly, and soft snickers issued from Armin's mouth.

"What?" demanded Eren, staring at him like he was stoned. "What's so funny all the sudden? Does everyone have a sense of humor in the mornings except me?"

Armin shook his head, covered a yawn with his fist and then looked up at Eren again. "Your hair looks like it got caught in a vacuum hose or something."

"Oh." Eren reached up to pat at his head self-consciously, feeling it sticking up in different directions. He must have rolled around a lot in his sleep last night. It wasn't very restful, seeing as he'd been left teased and unfulfilled by Levi. "Guess I'd better brush it out."

Eren got out of bed, left his phone with the puzzling message under his pillow, and went to obtain his brush from his dresser. He looked at his reflection in the mirror over said dresser and he could see why Armin had gotten a case of the giggles. He almost had the look of one of those troll dolls right now, and his grumpy expression didn't improve the image.

"Levi's right; it's getting pretty long." Eren started brushing the wild brown locks into place, thinking of his boyfriend's offer to trim his hair for him. It was a simple proposal. Kind of sweet and cute, actually. Eren had never done something so domestic with a partner as letting them groom him that way. Maybe he could convince Levi to do it for him before the weekend.

"You were out pretty late last night," remarked Eren as he tried to tame his hair back into place. "Hot date, or were you just in an intense study group?"

"Actually..." Eren could see the flaxen-haired young man blush through the mirror, "I was out with Annie Leonhart."

Eren grinned at him through the mirror, pausing his brushing. "I knew you had a thing going, there."

"Well, it's complicated," sighed Armin. "We like each other, but she's sort of seeing someone already."

Eren grimaced, relating on a level he just couldn't talk about. "That's rough. Is he a student here?"

"Yeah. Remember that tall senior that was one of the guides on orientation day? Bertolt Hoover is his name."

Eren thought back on that day, recalling the mild-mannered guy Armin talked about if only for his towering height. "Yeah. That guy should be going for a basketball scholarship or something. He's got to clear 6'5."

"Well, that's who she's involved with. He's friends with that Reiner Braun, too."

Eren winced. "Not a guy even I'd want to piss off. That's rough, Armin."

"No kidding," sighed the blond. "Instead of studying like I planned to, I ran into her on the way to the library and she asked if I was bored. Next thing I knew, we were taking an Uber to the theater and going to a movie together."

"Well, at least it's a sign she's interested in your friendship, if nothing else."

"I think she's interested in more than that."

Eren put his brush down and turned around to face his friend. "Oh yeah?"

Armin nodded. "We talked a lot. She and Bertolt are kind of like childhood sweethearts, but she says she doesn't really see him that way anymore. She says she's grown out of her feelings for him. She still cares about him, and that's why she's still with him. She's surprisingly loyal, even though she talks tough."

Seeing that his friend truly needed his support, Eren walked over to Armin's bed and sat down next to him. "So what are you going to do, then? Sit around and wait for her to make up her mind? Look Armin, you're a nice looking guy, even if you're on the runty side. I'm sure there are lots of girls in your study group that would go for you. There's no rule that says you have to save yourself for Annie."

"I really like her," admitted the blond morosely. "But how can I compete with the dedication she gets from this Bertolt guy? He probably knows all of her likes and dislikes, knows how to make her smile and shares secrets with her. I barely know her yet."

"Maybe being known inside and out by someone isn't what she's looking for now," reasoned Eren. "She approached you...twice now, as far as I know. Sounds to me like she likes what she sees. Was the whole date platonic or was there some touch involved?"

Armin grinned bashfully and lowered his head.

Eren nudged him, grinning as well. "There was some touching, wasn't there? Come on, admit it."

"Not really," insisted Armin. He met the other male's gaze again. "She did kiss me, though."

"Well all right! Go Armin."

"But I can't let it happen again," Armin said with a frown. "Not while she's still in a relationship with someone else. It's just not the kind of person I want to be."

Eren's face fell, and though he was positive that Armin hadn't figured out what was really going on in his relationship with Levi, he felt personally judged by the blond's vehemence. He decided to test the waters a bit, worried that his friend would see him in a negative light if he ever learned the truth.

"What if Annie and Bertolt had an open relationship? Would you still hold back then?"

Armin's brows furrowed. "What do you mean 'open'? As in seeing other people on the side?"

"Right. And both of them knowing about it. Like, what if Annie came up to you tomorrow and told you she wants both of you and Bertolt has already agreed with it?"

"I hardly think that's likely to happen," scoffed Armin softly. "The more plausible scenario would be that Annie just stays with Bertolt or makes up her mind to break up with him. I don't see her as the kind of girl that would juggle two or more boyfriends at once. She wouldn't have the patience, for one thing."

Eren shrugged, refusing to let it go just yet. "Maybe you're right, but call it hypothetical. What would you do if something like that happened? Would you turn her down or try to make it work?"

"Hmm. Interesting question," admitted Armin thoughtfully. "It's not the sort of relationship I ever imagined myself being in. The odds of that kind of arrangement working out without any jealousy getting in the way seem fairly low, but I know there are people out there that somehow make it work. I guess if it was really consensual on all sides and nobody was being kept in the dark, there wouldn't be anything morally wrong with it."

"So you'd go for it if that was the only way to have Annie?"

Armin sighed and scratched his head. "I really don't think I have the right temperament to share my girlfriend with another guy. I may not be the possessive or jealous type, but I think I'm programmed for monogamy. Besides, where would it end? Would I be expected to have threesomes with them? I don't think I could do that even if it was with two girls."

Eren wasn't surprised by the admittance. Armin was nothing like him, after all. He had an adventurous spirit when it came to learning, but he was a rather timid soul in matters of romance.

"Eren, how did we get to this subject?" puzzled Armin aloud. "I was expecting you to say something along the lines of how I should keep trying to win her over, and if Bertolt loses her it's his own fault. Instead we somehow landed in a debate about polygamy."

Thinking quickly, Eren put on his best casual expression and shrugged. "I don't know, man. It was just a random thought that popped into my head when you told me the issue you're having. You know I shoot off some pretty spontaneous things now and then."

"You do," agreed Armin. "That was really out in left field though. I appreciate you listening, all the same. I guess the best I can do for myself is wait it out and see what happens. If I influence her decision regarding her relationship, even to my own benefit, I'll always be the guy that broke a couple up. That just doesn't sit well with me."

"Sorry I couldn't be more help," muttered Eren. "It sucks to want to be with someone and feel like they're out of your reach. I thought I didn't have a chance in hell with Levi, even before—"

Eren snapped his mouth shut, stopping himself from finishing that sentence and say way too much.

"Before what?" Armin regarded him curiously.

_~Before I found out he was dating the hottest instructor on the planet.~_

Aloud, Eren said: "Before the first date ended. I was bracing myself, thinking he just went out with me to humor me and he'd probably blow me off after that."

Armin smiled. "But he didn't. Here you are, going steady with him. It all worked out for you and Mikasa didn't even have to step in and try to set you two up."

"Yeah." Eren smiled as well, wishing he could tell Armin that he'd gotten a lot more than he'd bargained for. It was too soon, though. He wanted to be sure the relationship was really going somewhere before he dared to try and tell anyone the whole story behind it. Eren tended to be a bit superstitious when it came to things like that. Even if Armin could be supportive and understanding about the arrangement, Eren felt like he would jinx it if he opened up and told him what was happening and how well it was going.

"So you'd never be in a poly relationship," said Eren after some thought, "but you don't have a problem with other people that do it?"

"Why should I? If all parties are aware of it and nobody's getting hurt, I've got no business questioning or judging it. Poly relationships aren't the same as cheating. Why are you asking me this, though? You seem awfully fixated on it."

"I was just curious about how you felt about it, since the subject came up."

Armin stared at him for a moment, and Eren resisted the impulse to squirm guiltily. However shrewd the blond was, however intelligent, he could not read minds and Eren had to remind himself of that to avoid blurting out the truth like some guy on trial confessing to a murder.

"Well, whatever sparked your interest in the subject, now you know." Armin looked away, and the expression that Eren believed was suspicion faded from the smaller male's face. "What about you? Do poly relationships touch a nerve with you?"

"Not so much," answered Eren. "Not anymore, at least. I used to think it was weird and wondered how anyone could commit to more than one person like that, but I feel pretty much the way you do about it now."

"I see. Well, you certainly took me off guard there. I should be used to your curve balls by now."

Eren grinned. "Maybe one day I'll grow out of doing that."

* * *

Levi showed up for Erwin's next art class, arriving a few minutes early to change out of his clothes and into the black robe provided for him.

"Oi, hands off," warned Levi when Erwin came up behind him while he was in the process of covering up with the robe.

"I wasn't going to touch you," assured Erwin with a smirk, allowing his gaze to roam over the smaller man's exposed backside. "We are, after all, in a public classroom. I was just going to take your clothes and put them away."

Levi glanced down at the chair he'd piled his folded garments onto, and he nodded. "All right." He turned around to face Erwin, pulling the robe closed and tying the belt. "You'd better clear that predatory look from your face before your students start to arrive, though."

Unaware that he'd been staring at Levi with a lover's eyes, Erwin schooled his features back into a calm mask and picked up the pile of clothes. Levi was absolutely right; if Erwin's students walked in to see him eye-fucking the subject of today's assignment, it would most certainly spark some rumors. He'd become an expert at hiding his feelings for Levi in public, but Erwin still slipped up sometimes when they were alone together, even if only for a moment.

He put Levi's clothes on the counter at the back of the room, and the first students started coming in. It only took seconds for them to notice Levi and realize why he was there. The memory of the last time he'd shown up in a robe was apparently still very fresh on some minds. One girl tripped over her own feet in her distraction, and another went to sit down—only to completely miss her chair and fall on her ass. This of course inspired laughter from some of her fellow students, and another girl helped the blushing girl up off the floor.

"All right, take your seats for now and prepare your graphite pencils," instructed Erwin once most of the students were in the classroom. He frowned slightly, noticing that one student in particular hadn't made it yet...and he was the entire reason Levi was doing this today. "We'll give everyone a chance to arrive before we begin."

"Uh, sir?"

Erwin looked at Jean Kirstein. "Yes, what is it?"

"I thought you said last week that we were going to start doing acrylics today. You said we'd be doing landscapes, right?"

"That was the initial plan," agreed Erwin, "but the paint supplies I ordered haven't come in yet. As such, I've made some revisions for the time being."

"So...we're drawing this guy again?" Jean glanced at Levi, looking a little disappointed.

Erwin hid a smirk. "I realize that you would prefer a female subject to draw, Mr. Kirstein."

Jean shrugged. "Well, we've already done nudes of him. If we're supposed to be working on anatomical drawing, shouldn't we do women too?"

"Yes, and I intend to include the female form in this semester's lesson plans," explained Erwin. "Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find one to model for us at such short notice. Mr. Ackerman graciously agreed to model again for us today. As I have no other lesson plan prepared and a lack of supplies, the class can use this opportunity to improve line work, shading and your understanding of muscle anatomy. Of course if you prefer, there is one other person I could likely convince to model for us."

"Oh yeah?" someone asked. "Probably not a girl, right?"

"No, but who's to say the focus of your artwork always needs to be a young man in his prime? Our bodies change with age, and you could benefit just as much from having an older subject for reference. Professor Zackly wouldn't mind modeling for you if I asked him."

By the collective looks on their faces, Erwin could tell that his gambit was spot-on. He hadn't exactly _lied_ to his students; Zackly had admitted to Erwin in the past that he'd been a notorious streaker back in his college days. The man had a wild side to him that most of their colleagues didn't know about. A dark side, too. Erwin was sure that he could bribe the man to be their older model with a bottle of good scotch as a reward, but he didn't really want to test that theory.

"Ah, that's okay Mr. Smith," said one girl anxiously. "We already sort of know Levi."

"Besides, I don't want to be stuck drawing some withered pecker," muttered a young man in the back.

"All right, that's enough," Erwin stated, mouth twitching. He checked the door again, then his watch. "We seem to be missing someone. Has anyone seen Eren Jaeger?"

People looked around at each other, some shrugging and others whispering.

"I saw him earlier," Jean offered. "He was talking to Mikasa outside the gym."

"Did he say anything to you when you saw him?" pressed Erwin, noticing Levi giving him a frowning glance. Doubtless the smaller man was also wondering what the hold-up was all about.

"Usually me and him don't have much to say to each other," answered Jean with a shrug. "Nothing polite, anyway. I just spotted him in passing and kept moving. Maybe his last class ran late today or something."

Erwin checked a sigh. Eren would have at least said something to Levi if he was coming down sick, so that possibility had to be ruled out. "Well, let's just get set up, and he'll have to catch up with the rest of us when—"

As if on cue, the classroom door opened and Eren came through it hurriedly, carrying his backpack slung over one shoulder. He cast a faintly embarrassed look around when everyone stared at him, and he went to his work station.

"Sorry I'm late, Mr. Smith. I got held up."

Erwin resisted the impulse to glance at Levi again and see what his reaction to the excuse was. There was no reason to believe Eren had anything going on with Mikasa beyond friendship. Erwin did sometimes wonder if Eren could be counted on not to tell his friends about the relationship he'd started with him and Levi.

Then again, Eren was a young man with all the distractions that came as a hallmark of that period of life. Case in point, he'd noticed Levi standing near Erwin's desk. His expressive gaze latched onto the alumnus, then shifted back to Erwin questioningly.

"Oh no," Eren mouthed.

Erwin had to fight hard not to laugh. He'd become proficient at reading lips during his time in military service. Communicating without using voices was a necessity in some situations Erwin had experienced, and he had no trouble making out the words Eren had silently formed.

"Ready your easel and utensils like the rest of your classmates please, Mr. Jaeger. There's been a change to our lesson plan out of necessity. Mr. Ackerman will be modeling for us today."

Eren looked almost as dismayed as Jean had been, though for very different reasons. Erwin wasn't without sympathy for him. He would have been frustrated to if he had to study every inch of Levi's body in the nude without being able to quench his desire for him afterwards. Fortunately for Erwin, Levi would be staying the night with him again. Eren would just have to suffer a while longer.

Erwin waited for the students to arrange their easels around the stool he'd placed for Levi, and then he nodded at his boyfriend. "I think we're ready to start."

Levi walked over to the stool, untied his robe and let it drop carelessly to his feet as planned. He didn't take a seat on the stool, however. Instead, he bent over to spread his robe out on the floor, and he laid down on it, rolling onto his stomach and folding his arms over each other to cushion his head. He faced the semi-circle of his peers and he relaxed, quietly still.

Erwin at first wondered if this was the best pose for Levi to use, considering his intentions. He questioned if it would have been better for Levi to keep his groin exposed and show himself off to the fullest, but now he revised that opinion. He looked natural, comfortable and quite alluring this way. It was how Levi somehow laid in bed while chatting with Erwin, presenting his cute little ass while leaving his other endowments partially inaccessible.

By the look on Eren's face and the way his throat worked, he found Levi's resting pose equally as charming.

_~Well done, pet. You've reminded Eren of what he has to look forward to, while concealing some of your more personal parts from the rest of the class. Such a tease.~_

* * *

That ass. Fucking hell, Eren wanted to run his hands over it, squeeze it, kiss it and then eat it out. It really wasn't fair for Levi to have such a perfect body, and it was even more unfair for him to show it off like this in a place where Eren couldn't touch it.

As Eren tried to sketch the perfection he was seeing, he shifted restlessly and divided his concentration between drawing and controlling his body's reactions. The first time he'd had to do this was bad enough. Now that he knew that body intimately it was absolute torture. He couldn't give himself away, though.

_~Just what are they trying to do, test me? How am I supposed to do this again now? Do Erwin and Levi want me to slip up and reveal something to other people? Is this the real reason why Levi hasn't had time for me this week, because he and Erwin want to make sure I can keep everything on the down low before things go any further?~_

All of these questions and more raged in the young man's mind as he struggled through the class hour. He managed to fight off a boner twice, but thank god he was still wearing his track pants from wrestling training because he was half-hard by the time the period ended. By shifting his pelvis a little and staying behind his easel until Levi put his robe back on and the rest of the students left the room, Eren was able to keep his condition relatively hidden.

Erwin shut the door after everyone else was gone, and he looked back at Eren, still standing at his easel and pretending to add finishing touches to his work.

"I take it you have no classes to go to immediately," remarked Erwin. Levi came up beside the blond, glanced up at him and then wordlessly watched Eren.

"Just...finishing up," excused Eren.

Erwin walked over to him to examine his sketch. He'd passed Eren up during the class hour, monitoring everyone else's progress but for some reason skipping his. The instructor's eyebrows shot up with evident surprise, and then his sharp gaze speared Eren through the clear barrier of his glasses lenses.

"This is good work, Eren," stated Erwin seriously. "Amazing, actually. You must have been practicing between art classes, because I think you've surpassed even Jean on capturing the subject's likeness."

"Probably has more to do with who the subject is than any talent improvement on my part," muttered Eren almost sullenly. He shot a look at Levi, but he could read nothing in that passive face. The guy was deliberately being opaque, Eren was sure. Whether he was hiding something or just distancing himself at the moment due to being naked again in front of others, Eren couldn't be sure.

Levi finally moved, joining them at Eren's work station to have a look for himself. "Huh. Not bad, Jaeger. Question though: why is my ass covered by a big circle with the word _'censored'_ in it?"

Eren's patience failed him when Erwin snorted, finally revealing the amusement he'd kept hidden so well upon first looking at the sketch. "Because I was afraid if I focused on drawing that part I might lose my shit, all right? How can you guys expect me to stand here drawing you naked after the things we've done together and _not_ give something away to people around me? I don't know what the purpose of this was, but it was mean."

Erwin was quick to offer up an excuse—that Eren didn't believe for a second.

"Things simply didn't go as planned, and I had to come up with an alternative exercise for today on the fly. Considering we worked on dimensions just two days ago, I thought returning to anatomy to brush up on it was sound. Sorry Eren; I had nothing else."

Erwin spread his hands helplessly and put on an innocent expression. Eren thought he looked sincere enough, but if there was one thing he'd learned about Erwin Smith so far, it was that the man was capable of concealing his truth thoughts and feelings so well that he could have been an award winning actor, had he so chosen.

"Should I be expecting this to happen again next time we meet up for this class?" Eren said, deciding that interrogation wouldn't do anything except cause further tension.

Erwin exchanged a glance with Levi. Something silent passed between them, and Eren gritted his teeth and wished he had the kind of connection they shared so that he could interpret what that glance meant.

"It depends on a few factors," answered the blond evasively. He smiled winningly at Eren. "In any case, I'll try to give you some forewarning if I need to call on Levi to model for us again. Will that suffice?"

Eren suppressed a groan. "I guess."

At least his groin was calming down again.

* * *

"I don't know how much longer I can keep doing this to him," Levi confessed to Erwin once they were alone in the classroom. He went to gather his clothes and change back into them, frowning contemplatively.

"This was your idea," reminded Erwin gently, watching him. He smiled tenderly when Levi's back was turned to him. "It doesn't sit well with you, does it? This subterfuge, I mean."

Levi sighed, stripping out of his robe and grabbing up his pants. "Guess I'm just not cut out for subtlety. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but now I feel like a piece of shit for teasing him like this."

"That's because you are, and always have been, an honest person." Erwin locked the classroom door and approached Levi. He put his hands gently on the smaller man's smooth, strong shoulders. He bent over to nuzzle the crown of Levi's head, breathing in the subtle scents of green tea and honey that lingered from a recent washing. "When it comes to courtship tactics, you're not a carrot on a stick. You're more of a wrecking ball."

Levi turned to give him a hairy eyeball. "You and your metaphors. What the hell is that supposed to mean, anyway? Are you trying to say I wreck people?"

Erwin chuckled, and he put his arms around the other male. "Yes, but in the best way. Seriously though, I meant that you aren't one to be subtle about what you want and tease people. You make your intentions abundantly clear, without apology." Erwin's gaze unfocused with the memory of how Levi roped him in. "Yes...you don't beat around the bush."

"Oh." A hint of color bloomed in Levi's cheeks, and the tiniest smile curved his lips. "I guess that's true. Are you praising me or criticizing me, though? I can't always tell."

The older male smiled, and he cupped Levi's chin in one big hand. "Look into my eyes. Do you see disapproval?"

Levi stared up at him, and he gave a bare shake of his head.

Erwin lowered his mouth to Levi's, ignoring his whisper of protest reminding that they were in a school setting, even if alone in the room. He kissed the younger man softly on the lips, and he spoke the truth of his heart in a low voice. "I've always admired your candor, Levi. I don't think I make a secret of that. It was one of the personality traits that drew me to you from the beginning."

Levi blushed endearingly, lowering his eyes in a subtle show of vulnerability that few ever witnessed. "So what should I do? Come out and tell Eren I've been deliberately yanking his chain to get him riled up for the weekend?"

"I think that might cause more harm than good, personally. If you want to go to him tonight and ease his frustration, I would completely understand. There's no need to tell him anything, because you honestly haven't done anything to him. You've done nothing wrong, pet. You've merely avoided intimacy with him, and to be fair, you can be a bit of a tease on any given day."

"I'm not a tease," objected Levi with a frown. "Don't I always put out for you? Hell, I even sucked you off in your office just this week."

Erwin smirked. "Yes, but you have a way of working people up when you want to get their attention, whether you're conscious of it or not. It's part of your nature, Levi. You have a subtle way of displaying yourself for your love interests, ways that may look unassuming to the casual observer, but they speak volumes to the objects of your attentions."

"Tch. You make me sound like some kind of incubus or something."

Erwin's smile grew until he was showing teeth, so appropriate did he find Levi's comment. "I think you're the closest thing to one of those creatures that any mortal man can be. That's a compliment, by the way. Not many guys can look at someone across the room from them and get them instantly hard with just a glance."

"I think you're giving me too much credit, or else you're falling back on your sensationalism to try and charm me again."

Erwin shrugged. "Think what you want. I'm just being honest." He scanned Levi's form, his hands itching to undo the pants his lover had just pulled on and yank them back off of him. Erwin's hands curled into fists, and he took a step back with a calming breath.

"You'd better finished getting dressed and get going," suggested the blond softly, briefly adjusting himself in the crotch area. "I'm not made of stone anymore than Eren did, and that class hour tested my limits a bit as well."

It was Levi's turn to smirk, and the gray of his eyes seemed to go smoky as his lids drooped to shadow them. "Whatever you say, Daddy."

"See? Right there. You just proved my point."

Levi blinked, caught on to what Erwin meant and then sighed. "Damn, I guess I _am_ kind of a tease. Well, I'm still going to hold off for the weekend—and that means with both of you."

"Why am I being deprived?" Erwin demanded, his humor dropping with boyish dismay. "Eren is the one you want worked up to the point of forgetting his inhibitions. I think that ship has already sailed with me."

"Because sometimes, delayed gratification makes everything that much better," explained Levi. "You're the one that taught me that, remember?"

Erwin groaned. Levi's reminder conjured up images of the many times Erwin had demonstrated that theory on him during the course of their relationship. All the times Erwin stalled Levi's orgasm to intensify it was now coming back to bite him on the ass, apparently.

"You'll be depriving yourself as well," Erwin pointed out, choosing not to challenge Levi's decision.

He knew that if he forbade his submissive from abstaining completely, Levi would concede. It wasn't that Levi had no say in whether they had sex or not. Power dynamics aside, theirs was a partnership forged in respect and trust. Erwin would never try to pressure or force his boyfriend, but he knew beyond a doubt that Levi got off on being told what to do. Ordering him not to withhold sex from Erwin would just get him horny and undermine his own choice.

"I know," agreed Levi with a slight frown. "That's the part that sucks the most. I think the three of us can go for two more days without fucking each other, though."

"Then let's up the ante a bit, shall we?" proposed Erwin, a wicked gleam lighting his eyes. "Keeping our hands off one another will certainly enhance our lust, but why not be more creative?"

Levi tilted his head. "What have you got up your sleeve now, blondie?"

"My suggestion is this: no touching of _any_ kind until our date. That includes touching of ourselves. No self-stimulation. With the exception of pissing, wiping and cleaning, all erogenous zones are off limits to our own hands as well as each other's until our date night."

Levi stared at him silently for several heartbeats before finally speaking. "Seriously?"

Erwin nodded. "Yes. Seriously. Eren's suffered though the week, but you and I have been taking care of each other. It hardly seems fair, don't you agree?"

"But I'm sure Eren's been spanking the monkey just about every night," protested Levi. "Are you saying we can't get off but he still can?"

"Unless you'd like to approach him with this and suggest he participate as well, that's exactly what I'm suggesting. I think it's fair, seeing as he's been starving for a week while you and I feast. If we must abstain from each other, then we should abstain from all sexual gratification. That's the price for my cooperation."

Levi held Erwin's gaze for a few moments, and the blond could tell that his boyfriend was weighing the pros of enhancing the moment against the cons of going without. Levi was, after all, endowed with quite an active sex drive. In truth, Erwin could barely keep up with him—which was another bonus of having another partner in the picture.

"What do you say?" Erwin prompted after a moment. "Are the stakes too high for you?"

"Tch." Levi glanced away, breaking eye contact. "So in response to me saying you can't have my ass for a couple of days, you're going to take it to another level and ban masturbation too? Doesn't make sense. At least you could jerk off until Saturday with my idea."

Erwin folded his arms over his chest and affixed Levi with his gaze when the smaller man looked up at him again. "I'm an all or nothing guy, Levi. You know that. We can abstain as you wish, but only if it's _total_ abstinence. Of course, if that's more than you're willing to do, you could always retract your decision not to sleep with me until the weekend."

"You smug, sadistic..." Levi sputtered off into silence, glaring.

"You make the rules, not me." Erwin didn't quite manage to keep the smirk off his face. Levi wouldn't go through with it. He had to get off every night just to sleep, and the longer he went without it, the crankier he got and the harder he found it to concentrate. Erwin didn't really believe sex addiction was a legitimate form of dependency, but Levi certainly seemed to have both a psychological and physiological craving for it.

He was admittedly surprised when Levi gave a curt nod and voiced his decision. "Fine. We'll do it your way."

"Are you sure?" Erwin almost frowned. He'd really expected Levi to cave and give up on this ridiculous notion.

"Disappointed, are we?" It was Levi's turn to smirk. "Believe it or not, Smith, I do have willpower. Granted, I might not demonstrate it very much since we've been together, but what do you think I did when you came around?"

"Fapped off a lot," blurted Erwin on impulse.

"Heh. Yeah, that's true." Levi pulled his shirt on and shrugged once his head popped out of the top of it. "Doesn't mean I had to slap the monkey every day just to get by. It's just sex; not heroine. I'll survive."

Erwin nearly added that they should banish smoking as well, but he thought that might make him look too desperate. Instead, he glanced pointedly at Levi's chest. He could see his nipples straining against the material, probably stimulated just by the friction of putting the garment on.

"Very well. You may want to stick with soft, light materials and avoid cool breezes until then."

Erwin promptly ducked the shoe that Levi aimlessly threw at him in response.

* * *

-To be continued


	10. Chapter 10: Caged

Eren came out of the bathroom sweaty and flushed. He peered into the darkened dorm room to be sure his roommate hadn't been disturbed by his activities, and he crept back to his bed with a sigh. He'd done his best to keep it quiet, but being quiet wasn't Eren's forte in any given situation. He stared at the burrito that was Armin in the narrow bed across from his own, wary and suspicious. Even if his friend _had_ heard him beating it off, Armin would never say anything about it.

Hoping the scholarly blond really had slept soundly through it and wasn't just playing dead, Eren pulled the covers over himself and lay back down. He rolled onto his left side, putting his back to Armin, and he sighed with relief.

Getting horny wasn't something new to him. He was a young man, after all, and sex was usually on his mind. Since getting involved with Levi and Erwin, however, it had become more of a nuisance and less a common and simple issue. Having a partner he was this attracted to made those lustful urges more frequent, and Eren was counting the time to their date night like an addict counting their days of sobriety. The difference was that Eren just had to make it until the weekend, whereas an addict had to go their entire life without indulging in the substance of their choice again.

"Just two more days," whispered Eren into the pillow he was hugging. Of course, he was presuming he'd get lucky after the date on Saturday. Levi had already told him to pack up and overnight bag, so Eren didn't think he was getting ahead of himself by assuming he was going to get laid.

Two more days. He could make it that long. He'd gone without for a lot longer than that before Levi came along. It was hard, though—and not just in the figurative sense.

* * *

Levi was likewise counting down to the dating event. He realized it hadn't been a very bright move to insist on abstaining when he and Erwin logically didn't have to. Initially, the idea was inspired by guilt for his underhanded plot to get Eren worked up. Levi could have fixed everything in one night by simply inviting Eren to his private dorm room and satisfying both their needs. The problem was his pride.

Yes, Levi had a strong sense of pride that sometimes got in the way of critical thinking. Only under certain circumstances did he allow himself to bend. Submission in the bedroom aside, he was a very strong-willed and independent person. When Thursday arrived and his anticipation for the weekend grew stronger, he silently mourned his recent decisions.

It didn't have to be this way. He could have fooled around with both his lovers before the date and none of them would have to suffer. It had seemed like a good idea to stay away from Eren at first, but then Levi revised his opinion of that and by then, the damage was already done. Rather than admit he was wrong and just fix it in the simplest way possible, he applied the illusion of fairness with his second plan...and then Erwin made it worse.

"Bastard," muttered Levi under his breath after returning to his dorm and closing the door behind him.

He'd hoped a big dinner would help him sleep better and get through another night alone. Somehow he didn't think that idea was going to pan out. All he'd gotten out of his food indulgence was feeling stuffed to the point of discomfort and suffering a bit of indigestion. Levi burped into his hand and rubbed his belly, looking around the confines of his temporary living space. He really had nothing to distract himself with. He didn't have a television, because he didn't see the point in it. He streamed movies on his laptop when something caught his interest, and if he wanted to watch any television channels, he just did it at Erwin's place.

He'd even started subletting his small apartment to Farlan a couple of weeks after taking on the staff job. His reasoning behind this was twofold: It gave his friend a place to stay while Farlan was still searching for his own place, and it provided security for Levi. With Farlan acting as both house-sitter and sub-tenant, Levi could be assured his apartment was looked after in his absence.

In fact, Levi was considering signing the lease over to Farlan once it was up, if the blond liked staying there enough to become a regular tenant. Erwin had already mentioned the possibility of Levi moving in with him, but Levi had been procrastinating on giving him an answer because it was a lot for him to consider. As much as he craved Erwin's dominance, Levi was used to living on his own. He wondered if their relationship had lasted for this long _because_ they didn't live together, and he feared it would be a mistake on his part to give up the independence of living alone.

"I practically live with him already, though," muttered Levi under his breath. "Spend more time at his house than I do my own place, dorm or apartment."

It was the truth. Levi stayed the night with Erwin three, sometimes four nights a week on average. During holiday breaks, he stayed throughout Erwin's vacation unless they made plans to go out of town together. Levi had his own designated space in Erwin's closet, two drawers in his dresser and his own towels and washcloths stored in the man's linen closet. He even had three coffee cups of his taking up residence in his lover's cupboards, along with a box in Erwin's kitchen for Levi's favorite teas. Honestly, they might as well be living together.

Thinking of all the domestics inevitably made Levi think of other activities he and his blondie got up to, and it made him start hardening in his pants. He reached between his thighs with the intent to adjust his crotch, only to stop himself. He was already so restless that he ran the risk of fondling himself if he messed with his junk right now, and Erwin was so fucking observant that Levi had no doubt he would know it if he cheated on their agreement. How he knew shit like that Levi still couldn't guess, but he was positive he couldn't get away with pleasuring from himself and hiding it from Erwin.

Levi decided a cold shower was the best option for him right now. He went straight to the bathroom, undressed and turned the shower knobs until he found the ideal temperature. Not so cold as make himself sick, but just frigid enough to shock some of the lust out of his system and cool down his libido.

Levi sucked in a sharp breath the minute he got undressed and stepped under the spray of cold water. His balls tightened up, his nipples hardened enough to cut glass and a shiver passed through his body. It took some will power to stay under the chill cascade, but Levi stubbornly endured it. He scrubbed his body off hastily with an exfoliating sponge and some shower gel, and when he stepped back out again he felt much calmer.

Levi took a couple of antacids, and then he walked naked into the main room to select some fresh underwear from his dresser. He thought he had it licked. For a while all he could think about was how his balls felt like they were freezing off. He took some melatonin to aid sleep and he climbed into his bed with a sigh.

He was just on the verge of falling asleep when his brain betrayed him with unbidden thoughts of both his boyfriends. Levi thought of Eren's light bronze skin and how smooth it was. He thought of the copper tint of Eren's nipples, the boyish smile he sometimes favored people with, the feel of his rich brown hair sifting through Levi's fingers. He then thought of Eren's beautiful green eyes, and that made Levi also think of Erwin's equally beautiful blue eyes. That of course led him down the path of picturing Erwin's ridiculously handsome face with its aristocratic nose, strong jaw and dimpled chin. Students called Erwin "Instructor Handsome" with good reason.

"Fuck."

Levi's eyes flew open, and he glared up at the ceiling. The sheet covering his body up to his mid-stomach was beginning to tent below the waist. Levi closed his eyes again and willed him to stop thinking of his lovers' bodies, their touch, their masculine beauty. The harder he tried, the more control he lost over the direction of his imagination and naturally, he started thinking about their dicks, comparing the shape, size and color of them in his mind. Comparing how they felt inside of his mouth and ass.

"Goddamn it," snarled Levi helplessly, squirming in his narrow bed.

He kicked the sheet off of him, finding that small amount of cover too hot. Perspiration started beading his pale skin, and he rolled onto his side in an attempt to get more comfortable. The act of doing so lent just a tiny, subtle shift of weight to the piercings in his nipples, creating a tug so light that most wouldn't have noticed it.

Levi did, however. He was so sensitive in that area that even that little gravity-induced pull gave him a tingle. He clenched his jaw, made the mistake of running a palm over his chest and then growled under his breath at the brief stimulation of his palm against the tender nubs. Before he knew it, he was rubbing first the left one, then the right. His eyes opened in the darkened room, unfocused and heavy-lidded. His lips parted, and he brushed his thumb back and forth over his right nipple.

He didn't even realize what he was doing until his hand started sliding lower, and then lower still. He cupped his swelling package, gave a soft, needy sound and tried to be content with just that.

"One more day," he whispered to himself. Christ, he'd gone longer than that without sex, both before and after getting with Erwin. Surely he could manage now.

This was different, though. He'd never tried to go without touching himself before...not for more than a day. Sometimes he and Erwin played chastity games before a planned night together. Sometimes they delayed orgasm, and Levi wasn't allowed to come until given permission. Sometimes Erwin had Levi keep a vibrating bullet up his ass for a couple of hours before they fucked, just to get him worked up to the point of slavish desperation for relief. Never before, however, had Levi agreed to go without any sexual gratification for longer than one day.

"He can't expect me to do it like a pro on the first try," reasoned Levi to himself, rubbing against his cupping palm unconsciously. "Fuck, I'm so horny."

It seemed Levi Ackerman's iron will wasn't quite as fortified as he liked to think.

* * *

Erwin wasn't fairing much better than either of his partners. He too spent a restless night tossing and turning and trying his best not to think erotic thoughts. He awoke the next morning with dark circles under his burning eyes, an erection fit to be used as a baseball bat and a serious case of self-loathing for issuing such a stupid challenge to Levi.

Somehow Erwin got on with his day. He had a cold shower, drank his coffee and made it to work—frazzled but on time for his first class. He was distracted throughout the day; particularly when he instructed his Ancestral Studies class because Eren was there. Erwin broke the computer screen projector he was using to display the presentation he'd set up for the class, so he had to alter the lesson plan a bit. His eyes kept drifting to Eren Jaeger, sitting up there in the third row of the elevated seating arrangement. Each time Erwin looked at him, he found those green eyes staring back at him with rapt attention.

 _Tomorrow_ , he kept reminding himself. The date was less than twenty four hours away and with luck, he could satisfy his desires afterwards and all of this sexual tension would be released. The biggest challenge Erwin foresaw for himself was to make it through dinner without sucking up his food like a Hoover just to finish and get his companions home faster. There was no contract signed stating that the three of them would have sex afterwards, either. The invitation was for dinner, not an orgy.

The thought of going through all of this just to drop Eren off at the end of the night and fail to get what he wanted made getting through the class all the more difficult for Erwin. It was a relief when the period was up and he dismissed the class. Erwin busied himself with going over a stack of paperwork while the students exited, and he pointedly avoided looking at Eren again.

Once they were all gone, he made for his office to try and relax himself for a while, since he had no further classes to instruct until the end of the day. He didn't even notice he had company at first when he retreated to his office and shut the door. Erwin jumped a little when the sound of a throat being cleared alerted him to the fact that he had a visitor. Knowing he'd locked his office the last time he left it, Erwin could think of only one person that sound could be coming from.

He turned around slowly, almost dreading visual confirmation. Levi was there on his couch, reclining like he owned it.

"You're abusing the privilege of having your own key, you know," Erwin informed him, locking the door behind him.

"You said I could come in here and make myself at home whenever I feel like it," reminded Levi without apology. He threaded his fingers behind his head, and while he was obviously trying to appear relaxed, there was a subtly nervous tension to him that only Erwin could have detected. "I didn't sleep well last night, so I tried to catch a nap between assignments."

"I see." Erwin took his eyes off of him, because even in a casual, loose t-shirt and jeans, Levi was too appealing to him right now. "And how did that work out for you?"

"It hasn't," sighed the younger male. "I managed to doze for about ten minutes, but that's it."

From the corner of his eye, Erwin noticed something that attracted his attention. Levi had squirmed. It wasn't just the action in of itself that perked Erwin's interest, though. It was the _way_ Levi did it. In their time together as lovers, there was hardly a motion Levi could make or a note in his tone of voice that didn't speak volumes to Erwin. He knew his boyfriend's body language like the back of his hand, and Levi only tried to make himself look smaller like that when he was hiding something.

Erwin paused on his way to the window, looked at the other man sidelong. Levi broke eye contact with him and took sudden interest in a loose thread on his shirt, plucking at it as if trying to draw Erwin's attention to it and off of his face.

Erwin turned toward the couch and walked over to it slowly. Levi squirmed again, and then he shut his eyes and rolled over onto his side, putting his back to Erwin.

"Gonna try to nap again," mumbled Levi into the microfiber cushioning of the back rest.

Erwin squatted down before the couch, examining his lover. Levi must have felt his eyes on him, because he tucked himself into a semi fetal position. He was definitely hiding something.

"Levi." Erwin reached out to caress his lover's spine curiously, and Levi tensed up.

It took a moment for the smaller man to respond. "What? I'm trying to rest."

Now Erwin knew something was definitely going on. He blanked his expression and spoke in a commanding tone. "Turn around and look at me."

He heard a slight hiss, and it was easy to imagine the string of curses that must be going through Levi's mind. Nevertheless, Levi obeyed and rolled over to face him. His eyes were hooded and his expression was as neutral as Erwin's, but there was the slightest flush of color on his face.

"What, are you gonna sing me a lullaby?" challenged Levi, impatience leaking into his voice.

Erwin didn't participate in the banter. He went straight to the point. "What's wrong?"

Levi bit his lip, dropping his gaze. Erwin cupped his chin and silently urged the younger male to make eye contact with him again. Though he didn't have the almost super human sense of smell that his friend and associate Mike could boast, Erwin did detect a very subtle, musky fragrance that he associated with one thing in particular.

"You've had sex."

Levi's mouth parted, his pupils contracting to pinpoints and then expanding with quiet alarm. "Excuse me? I haven't been near Eren and this is the first time I've seen you today."

"Let me rephrase that," offered the blond calmly. "You've gotten off. Haven't you?"

Erwin expected to hear Levi make one of those annoyed little "tch" sounds typical of him when expressing disdain or disagreement. He expected him to tell him he was imagining things and to stop being a creep. Instead, the raven-haired alumnus sat straight up in one swift, abrupt move and glared at Erwin accusingly.

"How the _fuck_ do you do that, Smith?"

Erwin didn't play coy or ask Levi to elaborate. He knew what his lover was referring to, and he didn't even bother to address it. "I've kept my end of the bargain, Levi, and yet for some reason you failed to do the same. Are you truly so oversexed that you can't go without for a couple of days?"

Levi went pale, and it was evident by the flash of emotion that rippled over his sculpted features that he knew what Erwin's line of questioning was leading up to. "Oi, before you start getting indignant, remember this wasn't something we discussed at length or planned ahead of time. You threw it at me out of the blue. I didn't have time to prepare for it, okay?"

"I'll take that as a yes." Erwin sighed dramatically, but he was fighting a smile. He knew it. He'd known when he issued the challenge that Levi was going to have a difficult time with it. The little demon had surprised him by agreeing to it, but Erwin had a gut feeling something like this would happen before the scheduled date night arrived.

He got to his feet, walked over to his desk and took a seat behind it. Erwin shot Levi a stern look before getting his keys out of his trouser pocket and studying the collection on the key ring. He picked out a small key with a black rubber gripper fitted over the square head.

"Oh, come on," he heard Levi say. There was an uncharacteristic whine in his voice. "You've got to be kidding me."

"I assure you, I'm not." Erwin focused his gaze on the other man, who was now sitting at stiff attention on the couch. "It seems you need some help focusing, lover. It's for your own good. You know what to do."

"...you're not letting this go, are you?"

Erwin resisted a smirk. "I'm afraid not. I'll wait here for you to make your choice of which model you want to wear. Come right back with it once you've made up your mind, but be quick about it. I want you properly caged and settled before my final class of the day starts."

Levi was visibly breathing faster as he stood up and stared at Erwin. That stoicism of his dissolved, revealing a blend of excitement, frustration and a hint of pleading. "You're really going to do this to me right before our date? Make me suffer through it overnight?"

"And throughout the date," confirmed Erwin, lifting a brow. "Perhaps through the entire weekend, in fact. You've been a bad boy and it's my job to correct such destructive behavior."

Levi made a growling sound.

"Don't be petulant," warned Erwin. "The more you act out, the longer you'll be restrained. Now go."

Now sporting a deeper flush and an obvious bulge of arousal in his jeans, Levi started for the door. He tried to turn the knob, cursed upon recalling it was locked and then corrected the problem before opening the door to leave.

"Levi," Erwin said, giving the other male pause. Levi looked back at him with flashing gray eyes. "On second thought, forget what I said about choosing for yourself. Bring 'pinkie' back with you."

Levi looked as though he might protest, and Erwin offered some incentive. "I could go home and retrieve the 'Gates of Hell' if you prefer. I have plenty of time before I'm due in the classroom, Levi."

Levi was out the door without another word.

* * *

Eren was pleasantly surprised when Levi sent him a text message asking him to take an evening walk with him after classes. He assumed Levi had more pearls of wisdom to share with him before the big date, and he readily met up with him at the park pond to begin their walk together. Levi was wearing Eren's jacket again, which made the Freshman smile.

"Nervous about tomorrow?" Levi asked him, setting the pace.

Eren shortened his strides a bit to match the smaller man's steps. "Yeah, but not as much as I was before. How have you been? I haven't seen you for a couple of days and we've hardly texted."

Levi gave a bare grimace, and he slowed down further. The black pants he was wearing were baggier than his usual choice of attire; almost oversized looking. "Not bad. Horny as hell and frustrated, but otherwise okay. You?"

"Pretty much the same." Eren grinned at him sidelong. "Why are you frustrated, though? I thought you were spending more time with Erwin this week."

"Hmm. Just a minute." Levi waited until a group of co-eds passed by them, and then he guided Eren off the foot path to a large oak tree. "Let's take a breather for a second."

Puzzled that Levi would want a break when they'd just started walking, Eren shrugged and followed him. "Are you okay? You're moving kind of...gingerly. Did you pull a muscle or something working out?"

"Heh. Something got pulled, all right." The comment sounded strangely bitter and satisfied at the same time.

"I don't get it," admitted Eren. Between Erwin's weird text to him earlier in the week and Levi's obscure hints, he felt like there was some inside joke he wasn't privy to.

Levi leaned back against the tree, setting his feet about a foot apart from each other. He sighed as if in relief and he rolled his hips, sticking his hands into the pockets of his borrowed jacket. He really seemed to like it, so Eren was content to let him keep it as long as he wanted.

"I've got to share something with you, and I don't want you freaking out. I've been thinking about it...our date night and what the weekend might bring. I've decided it's best not to surprise you and run the risk of spooking you out."

Intrigued and confused, Eren stared at him questioningly. He wondered how many more layers he was going to find before he fully understood Levi and Erwin's relationship. "Is Mr. Smith...I mean Erwin planning something you think might scare me?"

Levi shrugged. "Not with you. He'll keep things vanilla with you until you tell him otherwise, so you don't have anything personally to worry about. I just want to give you full disclosure now, before we have our date and anything leading to sex happens."

"Okay. Uh, I have to admit, this _is_ starting to spook me a little. What's going on, Levi? I mean, you've both already told me you mess around with toys and bondage sometimes, so if you're worried about that, don't be. I don't have any experience beyond what I've done with you so far, but I'm not going to run away if you guys bust out the cuffs while I'm there. As long as nobody comes at me with them without some kind of warning, I can cope."

Eren thought about the way Levi was moving, and an idea struck him. "Oh, is that why you're so stiff? Did you two...er...do some spank play this week?"

"Yeah, but that was days ago," explained Levi casually. "I recovered from that by Wednesday. This is something different. I haven't gone into certain details of things me and Erwin do from time to time, and I think you should know about it before you get my pants off again and get a shock."

Eren's mind started reeling, and another thought occurred to him. "Did you get a new piercing? Oh shit, did you do it down _there_?"

Levi smirked, shook his head and snorted. "No, quit guessing. If anyone gets a cock piercing in the future, it'll probably be Erwin. You're not wrong about something going on downstairs, though. I screwed up and disobeyed Erwin, so he's got my cock caged."

Eren drew a blank. At first, he thought Levi was speaking figuratively. "Uh, you mean he cock-blocked you or something? How? Did...he tell you not to spend time with me this week?"

The possibility made Eren's heart plummet. Maybe Erwin was having a change of heart. Maybe he was feeling jealous after all, and Eren putting the brakes on things during their last date only served to muck up the progress they were making.

"That wasn't Erwin," assured Levi softly. His eyes grew more shadowed. "That was my decision. I thought it would be best if I took a step back. Give you some time to think things through a little more."

Eren didn't understand that, and he understood even less the other man's earlier comment. "Okay, so you wanted to give me space before the date. I...guess that part makes some sense, but what did you mean about the cock cage thing?"

Levi sighed, cast a look around and then circled around the broad trunk of the tree to the other side. "Come here, out of plain sight. This isn't something I want people hearing or seeing, Eren."

Now more curious than ever and a little wary, Eren did as Levi suggested and joined him behind the cover of the oak tree. "What's this all about?"

Levi didn't waste time on subtlety, now that they had relative privacy. He did keep his voice low, however. "Ever hear of a male chastity device, Eren?"

The younger man's brows went up. "Uh...yeah. I mean, I've _heard_ of them and I've seen some pretty weird shit on the internet, but...oh. OH, you mean you and Erwin use that sort of thing?"

Levi cast one more quick look around to ensure nobody was in visual distance, and he undid his pants to open them up. Eren blushed impulsively, started to look away but reminded himself that Levi had some reason for exposing himself to him other than just being a pervert. He looked, and he blinked. Fascinated, Eren bent down for a closer look.

"What in the..."

Levi's dick appeared to be encased in a hot pink, transparent device fashioned into the shape of a penis in repose. It seemed to be custom made for him, sheathing his cock as if molded from it. Levi's balls were hugged around the base by a ring attached to the dick sheath, and it was difficult to decide if it looked uncomfortable or stimulating to Eren. The penis encasement had a hole in the tip, allowing the slit at the head of Levi's glans to peek out. Eren noticed there were also some smaller holes along the length of it—possibly for ventilation. There was a padlock on the device, just above Levi's restrained cock.

"Uh...so is that...um..."

"A chastity cage," obliged Levi softly. "My punishment for wanking off after Erwin and I agreed to save ourselves for the date night."

The strangeness of it didn't distract from the intrigue. Eren stared at the device. "Don't hate me for saying this, but it's kind of cute on you."

"Tch. That's what Erwin says, too."

Eren glanced up from the fascinating sight of Levi's trapped goods, meeting his eyes. "Wait, so you two haven't been doing it this week?"

Levi shook his head. "Started out as my idea, since I wasn't giving you any. I didn't think it was fair for me and blondie to get our jollies while you were out in the cold, so I told Erwin no more sex until after our date." Levi did up his pants with care, once again concealing his junk from view.

Eren straightened back up, his gaze softening on Levi. "You didn't have to do that for me."

Levi didn't look away. "It wasn't just for you. Abstaining for a bit can really enhance the next encounter, and as you know, I'm a whore for intensity."

Eren chuckled bashfully and dropped his gaze. "So I've seen. Let me be sure I understand this right. You and Erwin made a pact to totally abstain this week, you got caught jerking off and he made you wear this as punishment, right?"

"That's it in a nut shell, yeah. I don't have as much self-control as I wish I did, when it comes to getting off."

"That's okay. Neither do I." Eren grinned, but then he sobered. "But how long do you have to wear it? I saw there was a lock on it, so does that mean you can't just take it off when it gets uncomfortable?"

"That's what it means," agreed Levi. "Erwin's got the key, so he decides when it comes off."

Eren winced. "Sounds a little dangerous. What if there's some emergency? What if you start getting an infection and you can't get in touch with him to bring the key to you?"

"That's why we mainly use cages made of silicone or similar soft plastic or rubber materials for long-term wear," Levi explained. "If something like what you described ever happens, I can cut it off easily enough with the right tools and proper care. I've done it once before. It's just a matter of using common sense and caution."

"Long term use, huh? Does that mean you've got to wear it until our date?"

"Longer than that, from the impression Erwin gave me. He might make me wear it through the weekend. Maybe even through next week as well."

Eren's eyes popped wide. "But how can you...how could he..." he sputtered off and tried to collect his thoughts into coherent words. "How do you keep clean? You're such a hygiene freak, I don't know how you could stand it. What if you have to pee?"

"Calm down," advised Levi softly. "You're raising your voice. To answer your questions, I can pee just fine with this thing on. I just have to sit or squat to do it; otherwise it'll get all over me. I can get it wet and clean it in the shower easily enough, and the material's smooth and soft enough that it doesn't chafe. The only thing that makes this one a little harder to bear than the one I usually wear is the spikes."

" _SPIKES?_ "

"Eren, I said to calm down," reminded Levi in a hiss. When the Freshman silenced himself again, Levi elaborated for him. "They're not like metal spikes or needles. They're silicone, and they're more like raised nubs on the interior of the sheath. It's for stimulation."

Eren tried to wrap his head around it. "Okay. What does it do besides keep you from touching yourself? I'm sure getting hard would be difficult with that thing on, right?"

"Yeah. It doesn't keep me from getting excited, but it prevents erections and makes masturbation pretty impossible. If I need a deeper clean down there than I can get with it on, Erwin takes it off and bathes my junk for me before putting it back on. Neither of us want an infection to happen, so you don't need to worry about that."

Feeling slightly better about it, Eren explored further questions. "So you can't cum with it on either?"

Levi hesitated for a second. "I can, but it's different. It kind of leaks out instead of spurting since everything's restrained. It's also muted, for lack of a better description. I can orgasm under the right circumstances, but it's not as satisfying as an unrestrained climax."

"Sounds miserable," stated Eren truthfully.

"Don't feel sorry for me." Levi smirked up at him, and he reached up to ruffle Eren's hair. "I get off on it, brat. Erwin does too. For me it's the relinquish of control on such a personal level, and for him it's the thrill of having that kind of control. My cock is his, and so are my orgasms. I know it sounds fucked up to people that aren't into that sort of thing, but for us, it's hot as hell."

Against his better judgment, Eren found himself getting turned on by Levi's descriptive explanation of why he was into the chastity play. In fact, his pants started feeling a bit tight, and he shifted as inconspicuously as possible. "I didn't think of it that way. You said that one you've got on is for prolonged use. Does that mean you've got more than one...er...set?"

"Yeah. I've got a simpler one that just encases and restricts, made of the same stuff as this one. Erwin keeps another one for more intense fooling around. It's a stainless steel sounding cage."

Eren cocked his head and gave Levi a perplexed look.

"You really are green, aren't you?" There was some amusement in Levi's tone. "By 'sounding cage', Eren, I mean a cock restraint with a hollow urethral insert."

Eren blanched. "You mean he puts a rod in your pee hole?"

Levi huffed, squirmed a little and furrowed his brows with brief distress. Eren thought he detected a tiny spot of dampness darkening the lower part of his crotch area, suggesting arousal. "That's the simplest way to put it, yeah. Erwin's really good at it though, so it's not like he's torturing me or tearing me up. Uses plenty of lube and care. When we're feeling _really_ kinky, he uses the anal plug attachment on that one as well."

"I...can't really envision it," admitted Eren.

"Hmm. Here, look." Levi pulled out his cellphone, tapped something into it and waited a second before showing Eren the site he'd pulled up on his browser. "That's really close to the one we have."

Eren looked at the product Levi was showing him, and he blinked. "Whoa. And that doesn't hurt?"

"It can be uncomfortable for a couple of minutes until I adjust," confessed Levi, "but after that it's fine. Drives me fucking crazy when he makes me use it. The last time we ended up screwing each other senseless 'till sunrise once he finally released me from it."

Eren flushed, getting more excited and feeling a little shamed for it. "I'm not going to be expected to use something like this, am I?"

"No. I told you before, Erwin won't do or suggest anything you're not ready for or aren't willing to try. If you want to try any kinky stuff you have to approach him with it. He'll never even request it of you until you've confirmed an interest in it."

"Oh." Eren was relieved. While the thought of Levi in such situations got him hot and bothered, he wasn't in a hurry to try it out himself.

"Erwin and I didn't jump right into the BDSM when we got together," Levi explained. "We tested the waters after a while. Dabbled a bit here and there. It took time for both of us to feel comfortable and confident enough to get into the heavier stuff, and we still have plenty of vanilla sex. The BDSM and dom/sub roles aren't what defines us as a couple overall, Eren. I'm not caged 24/7 like some subs, I don't wear a collar and I don't call Erwin 'Daddy' or 'Master' all the time. Sometimes we just watch movies together, have a walk on the beach or nap with each other."

"Why are you telling me this?" Eren watched Levi with open curiosity. "It's like you're afraid I'll judge you."

Levi seemed to take a second or two to collect himself; which confirmed his earlier statement that wearing the chastity device had an effect on him that wasn't entirely unpleasant. "I didn't exactly think you'd judge me, but I wanted you to know what was going on...give you a chance to get used to it. I know I've told you me and Erwin like to use toys, but you haven't been exposed to any of it yet. This way, at least you won't have an unexpected surprise if we have sex tomorrow."

"'If'?" repeated Eren, his impulsive need for this man kicking in again. "Tell me Erwin's not going to forbid it, baby."

"Heh. No way." Levi shook his head. "I'm just avoiding making assumptions. I wasn't sure how you'd react to what I just explained to you."

"Well, I don't have a problem with anything you and Erwin do," insisted Eren.

"That's good." Levi took a step closer to him, and then he backed off with a small hiss. "Fuck, even with this thing restraining me, you make me hot."

Eren couldn't suppress a grin. "No shit?"

"No shit.

Eren started to close the distance, but Levi waved him away with a warning look. "Back off, Jaeger. I've learned how to wear this thing in public without betraying what's going on, but you're testing my limits."

Eren nearly asked how it was possible to "test his limits" when the item Levi wore apparently prohibited erections, but the pained look on the smaller male's face made him feel bad. "I'm sorry. So um...what happens if we want to have sex? Will Erwin unlock that thing for us?"

"Maybe, but probably not."

Dismayed, Eren frowned. "Then how are we supposed to—"

"You don't get it," Levi interrupted. "I can still be fucked when I'm wearing this. In fact, anal is the best way to give me an orgasm, even if it's only a sloppy, partial one. Erwin might let me out of it for a while tomorrow night, but he might insist I keep it on. It's his call. Doesn't mean I can't have sex with either or both of you, and it doesn't mean I can't enjoy it."

"Oh." Eren's gaze unconsciously dropped to Levi's crotch area again. "Sorry if I offended you. I'm just not used to the idea of sex without getting off...or not being able to get off completely. It doesn't feel like it would be fair to you."

"You've got a pretty vanilla perspective on things," excused Levi. "Don't worry, though. You don't have to fully understand it, as long as you can accept it."

Eren nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets if only to resist the temptation to reach out and touch his boyfriend. "I can't wait until tomorrow night. I'm kind of nervous, though."

"Why?"

Eren looked at Levi, deciding to return the man's favor of being truthful. "Because I think if Erwin wants to do it, I'll be willing. I like him as much as I like you, but he wants it a certain way and I've never done it like that before, you know?"

"I see." Levi drifted off into thought. "Well Eren, I'm thrilled that you want him enough to be willing to take it up the ass for him. Don't get too far ahead of yourself, though."

Confused by the last sentence, Eren cocked his head inquisitively. "What does—"

"I just mean Erwin's a hard man to predict; even for me," advised Levi. "Just because he said he wants to fuck you doesn't men he's in a rush. You might have to put up with some frustrating courtship from him before he makes serious moves on him. Trust me, I've got experience in that."

Eren chuckled. "Okay. Maybe that's a good thing, since I'm still trying to prepare myself for it. I don't want to get skittish on him again and piss him off."

"Erwin doesn't get pissed off over things like that. He's annoyingly patient when it comes to sex, and sometimes—don't ask me how because I'm still trying to figure that out myself—he knows what people are thinking or feeling better than they do."

"I've noticed that about him too," agreed Eren. Sometimes it was a little creepy, the way Erwin could read people's tone, eyes and body language. It probably gave the man an advantage in his field of work, Eren supposed.

Against common sense, Eren closed the distance between himself and Levi, and he reached out to draw him into an embrace. "Stop squirming," he admonished. "A little hug won't kill you."

"It might just be a little hug to you," fretted Levi, "but it does shit to me right now that you can't understand."

Eren smiled against the other male's dark hair. He could feel the restrictive device on Levi's groin pressing against his thigh, reminding him not to hug too hard. He still wasn't sure how to feel about that. Part of Eren felt sorry for Levi, yet he knew that he wouldn't be wearing that thing if he really didn't want to.

"All right, that's all I can take," warned Levi, wriggling out of Eren's hold a little breathlessly. The damp spot on his pants had increased in size, and he reached down to adjust himself, biting his lip. "Like I said, Eren: just because I can't get a full-on boner in this thing doesn't mean I can't get excited. Do me a favor and save the affectionate gestures for tomorrow night."

Eren nodded agreeably. "Sorry. I've just hardly seen you this week and the waiting is hard."

"I know," consoled Levi, "but we can spend the whole weekend together. I'll make it up to you."

Eren had no doubt that Levi would, and he smiled.

* * *

-To be continued


End file.
